The Dragon Flute
by RobotBoylover
Summary: A old friend of Tai Lung plots against those at the Jade Place in hopes of recover a secert treasure inside that will bring them power.The only one who can help stop the foe is Master Oogway's grandaughter but she's out of sorts. Can Po help? Please R&R?
1. The Griving

The Wrath of Daiyu

Oogway's passing did not only effect the grieving of Master Shifu and The Furious Five and Po but also affected a grave sadness in one of his other students. This student's knowledge is needed to save the valley from an incoming threat but she is too upset and dismayed to help. Can Po and gang help her get back on her feet to stop this incoming danger?

The Grieving.

There was a beautiful scarlet sunset overlooking the Jade Temple as the Furious Five, their master Shifu and the newly discovered Dragon Warrior Po stood under the Sacred Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom and watched it. This was once the place where their beloved master and sage to the Valley of Peace meditated. But now that Oogway was gone this area held more specialty than ever before, it was now considered to be a memorial spot and was not to be trifled with. Only respective, curdiest people where aloud to visit and no more for a few seconds, Master Shifu's orders.

The 7 members of the fighting force watched over the sunset in silence until Crane spoke. "So that's it? He's gone?"

Shifu looked on undeterred. "It was his time."

Master Tigress spoke up doing the Kung Fu respect fist in the hand gesture. "Master, surly he would of said goodbye. He was one of us."

Shifu still looked on. "He didn't want to bear anyone with the sadness of him moving on. It was his time."

Viper looked up sullen remorsefully. "It still hurts."

Shifu turned to his 6 students. "He is still with us as he's in the air we breathe and in the wind that flows through our hearts."

Po looked on amiss twiddling his fingers. "I hope I didn't ya know accidentally swallow him the last time I inhaled cuz you know because of the whole tree- petal- thing."

The others looked at him unpleased.

Po tapped his fingers together. "Too much?"

Master Shifu turned to the sky and looked on completely ignoring Po's comment. "There is one way to reach Oogway and that is the Plain Of Enlightenment. If he chooses to see you."

Po looked to Viper in a whisper. "What's the Plain Of Enlightenment?"

Viper returned the whisper. "A legendry plain visible only to those through meditation. You can see and talk to another meditating spirit there even those of the dead. If they wish to see you."

Po looked up. "Like Oogway?"

Shifu shot back. "Of course Oogway!"

The motion struck stunned fear and concern in the six other students as Shifu sighed. "I'm sorry. I just miss him that's all." With that being said Shifu left the tree and headed on down the pathway.

Po looked down at the ground. "Kinda hurts the most doesn't it."

Viper looked up. "Oogway was close to Shifu and having him gone…"

Po looked down unimpressed and sullen. "Hurts him up the most."

Viper looked on to Po reluctantly. "There was another student though who Oogway taught who misses him just as much as Shifu does."

Po looked on eagerly. "Really who?"

Just then Shifu beckoned to Viper from the distance while all the other students moved along. "Viper!"

Viper called out quickly and slithered away. "Coming Master Shifu!"

Po looked confident and spoke to himself. "Another student huh?" Well I'll find this other student of Oogway's even if I-"

"Po, come help me in the kitchen! Feeding 10 other mouths is not easy!" cried Po's dad from the palace kitchen.

Po quickly ran down the pathway to meet his father. "Coming Dad!"

Meanwhile during a mediation hour in the training yard of the Jade Palace, Shifu snuck away from the others and fetched Zeng.

The goose immediately ran up to Shifu panting. "You called for me Master Shifu?"

Shifu looked quietly away from him. "Go to Lotus Lake and check on Oogway's family."

Zeng looked up. "Right got it! Even-

Shifu looked down. "Even her…"

Zeng flew off and Shifu looked up to the sky. "I hope you can deal with this as much as I can…."

Meanwhile somewhere in another destination, someone was in the middle of a bad dream that reflected from their own past. In the vision a female leopard slashed away at a turtle figure as she returned the returning blows. There was a series of kicks and punches as the dream was ended by a voice. "Peach Tree!"

"Huh?" a female tortoise raised her head and looked on to her mother standing in the doorway. "You weren't having that dream again were you?"

Peach Tree looked onward. "Uh…"

Her mother sighed. "You did. When are you going to stop dwelling in the past? Daiyu was placed in a settlement in the Reformation Mountains after that attack and is yards away from us."

Peach Tree looked on silently. "What if not forever?"

The girl's mother looked on while sighing as Peach Tree continued bluntly. "He won't able be to defend us this time."

The girl's mom shook her head and looked down.


	2. Zeng's Arrival

Zeng's Arrival.

The tortoise stood there continually unmoved. She was unmoved, a tragic event that had just occurred and was not into helping those around her. The mother tortist raised her head and looked at her daughter. "Your grieving will not bring him back anymore then I've wished him to return." Peach Tree didn't move from her post. "I want to reassure that."

The mother tortist who went by the name of Lotus Flower walked silently up behind her and spoke. "You think I don't miss him? He was as close to me as he was to you Peach Tree. Why can't you move on like the rest of us? Oogway would not be able to rest easy knowing his-"

Splat! There was a sudden pounding noise outside as Zeng plopped on the ground panting as some tortist gathered around confused. "Message from Master Shifu... Check on Master Oogway's family."

Lotus Flower stepped out the house Peach Tree grieved in and approached the goose. "We are all saddened by the path Oogway has taken… (Looks at Peach Tree through the doorway.) Some more then others…But we assure you we will get by."

Zeng spoke up questionably. "All of you?"

All the tortoises looked on silently to Lotus Flower little questionable to results of obvious hidden facts. "Well will get along and others will just have to get along in time..." Lotus Blossom said with a slight sneer toward the background.

Zeng looked obvious. "She still not over it?"

The mother tortoise looked casually. "You have no idea."

The other tortoises left as Zeng continued to talk seeing as they weren't really needed anymore.

Zing spoke casually somewhat direct. "Master Shifu will be not pleased, future sages should not fret on the past."

Lotus Flower looked at him rather obvious. "Not when there's work to be done…"

Zeng looked on as the mother tortoise spoke "She's not contributing and chooses to spend most of her moping about or standing in that direct spot. Her soul is devastated. Peach Tree will not move on. Her brothers did but not her."

Zeng looked up hopefully giggling. "I guess that goes for the whole sage thing eh?'

Lotus Flower looked on directly. "Oogway chose Peach Tree for the position of next sage but if she keeps that constant moping she won't get that chance."

Zeng walked toward the open door that housed Peach Tree. "May I talk to her?"

Lotus Flower showed him in. "Go ahead, if you can get a word out of her."

Meanwhile in another distant location far away from Lotus Lake laid the Reformation Mountains. A place where people who have had committed crimes on assault, possessed bad tempers and claimed vengeance were sent. Here laid Tai Lung's personal friend and affection Daiyu. A snow leopard that ran amuck on the Valley of Peace and assaulted the Jade Place after hearing Tai Lung was put in prison. Daiyu wanted something that laid inside the Jade Place that could free her master and bring her and her master about power. But she was thwarted upon opposing an attack on Oogway and got dragged away to The Reformation Mountains. The item in question was a sacred flute that possessed extraordinary power. It could summon a dragon who could bring peace to the valley or destruction. The dragon needed only to be instructed by the flute player what to do through vocal command and it would do it.


	3. A Intresting Conversation

Deep within the settlement of the correctional facility laid the a

An Interesting Conversation and Zeng's Serious Point of View

Deep within the settlement of the correctional facility laid a huge cafeteria that housed 130 rough necks, among them was Daiyu. Daiyu was not always a villain; she once sat in the Jade Place as a student of Kung Fu under the tutelage of Tai Lung and the masters but went astray after Tai Lung taken away and landed herself in the correctional facility.

Daiyu sat quietly among hundreds of others, who either brawled over the tables they were sitting at, eating their dinner, arm wresting or talking. One conversation practically going would on change setting of the peace of things.

A giant rhino sat at table ahead of Daiyu discussing the matters of which he heard from the hippo guards. "You guy hear about what went down in the Valley of Peace last month? It's crazy."

A small boar bandit looked on intrigued. "What?"

The Rhino pulled in close noticing Daiyu and spoke in a whisper undertone so she couldn't hear. "Oogway chose the Dragon Warrior, a novice panda who came from out of blue and had Shifu train him to fend off against Tai Lung."

Daiyu's knuckles crackled against the table when she heard that name.

The Rhino moved in closer and spoke in a under whisper. "I heard Tai Lung was defeated by the Wushi Finger at the hands of the panda and now he's ya know."

The little boar spoke amiss. "Dead, yeah…What are we gonna tell Daiyu?"

The other boar butted in annoyed. "Nothing, Are you crazy? She'll kill us."

The little boar looked on to the Rhino. "What'd Oogway about this?"

The Rhino butted in. "Nothing, last I heard he was part of the universe now…"

The medium boar looked on shocked. "You mean?"

The Rhino looked on calmly. "Yep, time passed."

The Rhino and the boars in the process of speaking all this had pulled away from keeping it a secret and had spoke clearly enough for Daiyu to hear somewhat but not innately just by mistake.

The Rhino and boars then caught sight of Daiyu looking at them angrily and displeased. "I heard you correctly right? Oogway has passed? What about Tai Lung, where is he about now?"

The smaller boar looked on unconvincing. "How should we know?"

The medium boar looked a little awkward. "Not saying we did know, but if we did…"

Daiyu had stepped closer to them and was now standing on the right side bench of her table. "Pity me…"

Meanwhile Zeng had made several conversation attempts with Peach Tree but to no a vile. The tortoise stood stuck, glued to her spot un-answering and uninteresting in doing that involved movement.

Zeng looked on uninsured. "How do you think Oogway would face this?"

Peach Tree looked on unmoved. "I don't know…"

Zeng looked on forwardly. "Well do you think this is solving anything?"

Peach Tree looked on unimpressive. "What can I do? He's gone."

Zeng got serious. "Finish your sage training. Oogway would want that…"

Zeng walked to the doorframe of the doorway and turned to her again. "Come back to the Jade Place when you're ready. We could have you up there." And with that Zeng walked away leaving the tortoise wondering.


	4. A Few Interesting Things Pointed Out

A Few Interesting Facts Pointed Out.

Zeng walked out of the house on his own dismal looking rater looking dismayed. Lotus Flower looked to him questionably. "Well?"

Zeng sighed. "She's unmovable; all I can say is sending her up to Shifu might do her some good."

Lotus Flower sighed and lowered her head to the right in a small shake. "That's not going happen if she doesn't move…What can I tell Shifu or my dad if she doesn't stop her resistance?"

Zeng looked up unknowing. "Your dad would say-Wait your dad?! Grand Master Oogway has spoken to you? I though the Plane of Enlightment wasn't for everyone."

Lotus Flower looked on calm. "It's only for those who truly focus through meditation. It takes a great deal to maintain balance. One little focus error can send you back to the normal world."

Zeng looked up. "Like a noise from the outside?"

Lotus Flower looked on. "Yes but traveling back to Master Oogway, he has not contacted me yet…but I feel his presents beneath the trees…He will contact me soon."

Zeng moved his head toward the door. "What about hmmm…"

Lotus Flower looked on straight. "She will only see him, when he is ready to see her and this grieving can not help that."

Zeng looked on… "Ok…That's usual…But traveling back to your other family. How are Shore Pebble and Bo?"

Lotus Flower looked on… "They have moved on but are still sad at recent events."

Zeng looked toward the tortoise… "How sad exactly?"

Lotus Flower moved away from the door space and stepped away. "Come, I'll show you…"

Zeng followed the mother away from the door while Peach Tree continued to stand in the doorway.


	5. Madam Tranquil

Madam Tranquil.

Back in the Reformation Mountains, Daiyu had maid her point by lowering down the rhino's head to the table with her claws. Daiyu had extended her claws into the rhino's neck on a soft spot where it was sensitive and held him down with all the strength she could muster. "Now…you were saying something about Daiyu killing you. What do you suggest I kill you for?"

The rhino looked up a little fluttered. "Well, if I tell you kill me anyways…"

Daiyu looked on. "Well perhaps maybe…Or perhaps not…"

The rhino looked up… "What's the difference you still gonna become a murderess wretch after you hear what I have tell you…"

Daiyu brought her head down and chuckled toward the rhino's head in a whisper. "Pity me…"

The rhino became enraged, pushed off against the table and flung Daiyu to the left. She looked up from half between under the left bleacher and the table and ran as the rhino bashed up the table from underneath with using his horn, creating a huge dent within the table. This frightened the other members of the dining hall as they looked at the rhino in shock. Daiyu was caught amiss this sneaking out behind the table's end where she ducked under. The Rhino squinted angrily as Daiyu snuck by and seized huge iron plate from the table and hurled it into a corner where Daiyu had obviously gone and she emerged up angry by the assault but unharmed near the last bleacher in the corner. Daiyu looked at the plate which was hidden from view and cast her eyes back to the Rhino in anger. "What did you do that for?"

The Rhino just choked out a phrase angrily. "You know why."

Daiyu crackled her knuckles and lunged forward, galloping up on all fours toward the Rhino threw the table aisles. (There only one table between them). Daiyu pounced on the Rhino and was about to make a grab for him when she was caught in the act by two surprised hippos guards standing there surprised. They had just walked in…

The guards dragged Daiyu down the Hall to Madam Tranquil, a peaceful at mind tan pink hippo who severed as a guidance consoler to those in of help. Daiyu was one such candidate; she was frankly having to go see the hippy hippo for guidance. The guards dragged Daiyu in the chamber where Madam Tranquil was sitting happily against the back wall trying to meditate but was caught in the moment of bopping her own head around being caught in rhythm of a song in her head. The hippo opened her eyes, sensing Daiyu's arrival as the guards plucked Daiyu down on the ground in front of her and scurried out of the room. They didn't want to be involved with this session.


	6. Oogway Is Dead?

Oogway Is Dead?

Madam Tranquil sat accordingly, waiting for Daiyu to sit even though she knew the snow leopard wouldn't give much involment without being told to by a guard. The hippo let go of her former smile and let it turn into a flat state as she went back into her meditation position and stated the one obvious sentence to why Daiyu was here.

"Your power misleads you Daiyu …"

Daiyu turned her head and body away from the hippo and moved toward the door gesturing she wasn't interested in being here. "I could care less." Daiyu stated as she laid her head glumly against the wall next to the door.

Madam Tranquil spoke swiftly with a hint of irritation in her voice. True she cared about the leopard but the girl's nerve was starting to bother the hippo. She had put up with Daiyu for a great many years and was tiring of her endless anger. "You should care because it'll never get you out of here otherwise."

Daiyu jerked her head up in a laugh and turned to Madam Tranquil in a chortle. "You suggest I let myself become one with the universe and meditate…Dream on…That'll never be fully achieved."

Madam Tranquil sighed. "It will if you let it. Daiyu, meditation is the only thing that'll cure your from totally destroying yourself. Your anger inside you is rotting out. After the incident of Tai Lung sent being away to Chro Gum, you lashed out in a fitted rage against it and planned an even sinister route of action by storming the Jade Place and tried to confront Oogway in an onslaught for the Dragon Flute."

Daiyu growled while casting her eyes to the floor. "I was defeated though…"

Madam Tranquil spoke in strict tone with this one. "With good reason. That flute is filled with tremendous powers that could destroy the world if dealt with evil hands. Daiyu I beg you to get your mind off that flute before it engulfs you like Tai Lung's endless ambition for the Dragon Scroll."

Daiyu growled immensely at this comment. "Tai Lung's destiny was to be the Dragon Warrior and you know that…You experienced glimpses of Tai Lung's training back in the days of your teen years on visits to our dojo with your Master Meihui."

Madam Tranquil looked on devastatingly confused. "How'd you know that?"

Daiyu smugged a smile. "I remember you from those dojo trips. You were a late teen then but the same hippo none the less. Your eyes and body structure give you away. You match the same kind of image I have in my memory from a day back in the Jade Place when Madam Meihui came to visit. You were with her won't you?"

Madam Tranquil crossed her arms and spoke in a calm state. "Were trailing off the mountain here but yes it was me. Your Tai Lung was brutally strong."

Daiyu shot back a tort of laugh in praise to Tai Lung. "Yeah he was!"

Madam Tranquil giggled giddily. "See your opening up already. That's one step closer to leaving this place. All that calls is mediation prowess and relieving your of that crazy goal."

Daiyu growled at Madam Tranquil for the comment. "It's not crazy. It's the only thing that'll free Tai Lung from Chor Gum."

Madam Tranquil looked down sadly and unfulfilled. "I see you're not going to change… That's a shame."

Daiyu looked on un-in touched. "Why should I change my goals? You sage types inspired Tai Lung to greatness then denied Tai Lung his destiny and locked him away in an inescapable prison."

Madam Tranquil shot back deafeningly defending the honor of the sage. "It wasn't his journey to become the Dragon Warrior. Oogway made clearly of that…" Madam Tranquil shifted her eyes to the ground in a tear motion; the mention of Oogway saddened her deeply.

Daiyu pointed at Madam Tranquil awestruck. "How did you... (Daiyu came to her senses) Oogway's wife…Of coarse…So how is the lil lamb?"

The tranquil hippo dropped her head silently and spoke…"Her life duty is not over yet but she feels it is seeing as Master Oogway ascended without her knowledge. The world shatters around her she within this Earth."

Daiyu looked on eye bobbing. "Oogway is dead? What about the Dragon Warrior and Tai Lung? He'll go mad if he hears Oogway picked another Dragon Warrior."

Madam Tranquil closed her and returned to her meditation state. "The Universe works in mysterious ways…All I know is…Oogway made his assent to a higher plain after passing on the Dragon Scroll to the true Dragon Warrior."

Daiyu screamed. "The TRUE Dragon Warrior?!?"

Madam Tranquil decided to end her session with Daiyu for today; too much further info would upset her intensely. "That's all for today…Too much knowledge is dangerously addicting."

Daiyu figured Tranquil knew more then she lead on… "You know more then to what you let on…Tell me…"

Madam Tranquil didn't flinch and stated her last sentence for their meeting. "That's all for today…"

Daiyu stood on glaring at the floor struck as two rhino guards came into the room, grabbed her and scooted her back to her room.


	7. Shore Pebble and Bo

Shore Pebble and Bo.

Lotus Flower led Zeng to a part of the lake's bank where two tortoises silently planted peach trees. Upon digging a hole in the ground and shoving the dirt to the side did the older tortoise of the catch glimpse of Zeng…

The older shifted his eyes from the goose to his mother and asked bluntly. "What is he doing?"

Lotus Flower looked on rather unimpressed as her son continued his work but spoke undeterred toward Zeng's honor. "Zeng is here to monitor our status, to see if we've recuperated from recent event…"

The mother tortoise fell back in silence for a moment due the reminder of Oogway so Zeng stepped forward and changed the subject to lighten the mood. "So Shore Pebble…What brings you back to the valley? I though you where training with Master Ox at the Cloud Temple in the _Huangshan Mountain_s?"

Shore Pebble stopped in his work immediately and stood there motionless…"Some things were out sorts when l last was here so I have come back make with peace Master Oogway's spirit in hopes he'll let me go…"

Zeng huffed and dropped his shoulder in a sigh. "There's only one way do that…Are you make true peace with him?"

Shore Pebble turned away and continued digging.

Zeng looked on unhappily and then turned to the second tortoise. "I thought so…How about you?"

The second tortoise stopped fiddling with a pile of rocks on his cart next to him and just stood in silence not facing the goose directly. "What's there to know? Oogway left found harmony on another world and that's all you need to know…"

Bo walked away from the group in silence and headed to a rock pile somewhere in the distance.

Zeng looked up at Lotus Flower some what confused. "I thought you said they've gotten over it?"

Lotus Flower looked him straight. "They have gotten over the fact that Oogway but the fact that he is gone still lingers in there hearts…Meihui is worse of all…"

Zeng looked on in surprise...."Meihui?"

Lotus Flower beckoned the goose to follow and headed toward the edge of the lake and submerged herself in water waiting for him follow.

Zeng gulped as he edged toward the bank end… "You want me to go that?"

Lotus Flower turned her head back toward the nervous goose. "How else do you expect to get across the lake to Town Central?"

Zeng put on a nervous smile while walking closer the wading tortoise. "I just thought we walk that's all…"

Lotus Flower turned her head toward the opposing side. "What fun would that be? Besides us tortoises move slowly on land, it would take us four minutes to reach the square on foot and by that time Meihu may be gone…"

As Lotus Flower submerged somewhat and backed up her rear closer to the bank so Zeng could climb up the goose raised feather upward and pointed to so peach petals blowing in the wind. "You mean?"

Lotus Flower raised her head out the water and looked at Zeng with inquiry… "Hmmm?"

Zeng looked on sympatric. "Will Master Meihu go to a greater plain?"

Lotus Flower looked him weirdly…

Zeng looked at her more sympatric. "Will Master Meihui be taken away by the petals of her peach tree just like Master Oogway?"

Lotus Flower looked at the goose long and hard for moment then scuffed. "She's not going to die! At least not yet…"

Zeng quickly clamber up toward the shell and planted himself at the base of it as Lotus Flower began to move away. "What do you mean?"

Lotus Flower looked grimly into the water…"Nothing…"


	8. Meihui and a Plea for Help

Meihui and a Plea for Help…

Lotus Flower carried the nervous goose aboard her all the way to the other side of the lake and reared him off gently to the ground as she came up out of the water a few paces away.

Zeng was still fretting about nervously like he had done on the journey across the water because of the superstition that crocs might be there but Lotus Flower reassured him for the 100 time there wasn't any and turned to face the giant gazebo like building that was in front of her.

Zeng backed up towards Lotus Flower a few paces away and stammered in a some what nervous voice… "There could be you never know…One can never be too sure…Are you sure we have to do this…I mean Meihui out of all people would not want to be reminded of this since Oogway didn't…"

"Shush!"

Zeng was cut off by Lotus Flower as he reared up behind her…"My mother's meditating…"

Zeng peered next to Lotus Flower and awed with astonishment. He had never seen a glimpse of Meihui meditating before…The ancient tortoise sat very still in her meditation and focused hard on trying to find something within her own mind.

Zeng turned to Lotus Flower with a guess to what Meihui was looking for. "She's looking for him ain't she…?"

Lotus Flower looked down to the ground slightly dismayed… "She's been doing it for some time now but to no avail…"

Lotus Flower turned to walk out the gazebo when Zeng objected to her…"But what about her?"

Zeng pointed out his inquiry toward Meihui but Lotus Flower shrugged him off. "Leave her alone to meditate and tell just Shifu she's more depressed and lost then the rest of us…"

Lotus Flower strayed away as Zeng just stood in place sullen and asked a very obvious open question ... "What about Peach Tree?"

Lotus Flower stopped and stood at the marvel of this question for few seconds then turned her head slightly to Zeng …"Peach Tree is a different case…Meihui may be devastated but she's functioning with her life…Peach Tree sits and usually mopes all day which is why I want you to help her…"

Zeng looked up stunned… "Me? I couldn't even get her out that house…What could I do?"

Lotus Flower continued on… "Get an approval from Master Shifu to let Peach Tree come up to the Jade Place for a few weeks for a visit…If she's get back on track with her Kung Fu, it might relieve her spirits."

Zeng looked on suddenly curiously. "What about Shore Pebble and Bo?

Lotus Flower looked down at him with a sad gaze. "I'll take care of them…There isn't much called for alarm in their status…"

Zeng piped up franticly. "But what about what Shore Pebble did? That leaves a giant dent with Oogway and himself!"

Lotus Flower looked at Zeng in a reassuring manner. "Shore Pebble knows how to correct that dilemma and will do so as soon as he see fit too. He loves Oogway to much to hold in this fight forever and Oogway will let him go when as soon as they made their peace. Bo will come around eventually…He's not as hard holding as his brother and sister and comes to easier terms with things…"

Zeng down at the ground unsure the idea...

Lotus Flower clasped her claws together in a pleading gesture… "You'd be doing my family a favor and helping rekindle a life…"

Zeng cast his last gaze at Lotus Flower as she turned away from him and hobbled away.

Zeng then cast his eyes to the yellowish red sky appearing to the west and sighed with a huff…Time to report back to Master Shifu…


	9. Withdrawn Refusal

Withdrawn Refusal….

Shifu paced back and forth in a straight line, contemplating over the details Zeng had just giving him about Master Oogway's family while the goose watched on , a tiny bit uneasy about the whole thing…

"Ya know what I'm gonna go and wait by the door over there til you contemplate a decision on what to do about the whole ordeal Master Shifu…Ok?"

As the goose tip toed away the red panda stopped him in mid halt… "Wait…Bring the girl here…She needs to re-tie up her position…"

Zeng turned back to his master with a questionable gaze … "Are you sure? I mean I know she belongs here but how will she take it?"

Sometime later Zeng was answering his own question while standing next to a withdrawn tortoise at the top of the Jade Palace entrance gate…

"Oh, come on Peach Tree it's not as bad as it all seems…Having that paid gentlemen rhino kidnap you in the middle of the night and haul you up here from Lotus Lake was correctly a devised plan of Master Shifu and Lady Lotus Flower…"

"And the part of him shackling my arms and legs?" said Peach Tree as she withdrew from her shell, standing up strained..."

"So as not a repeat of the two oxen who tried to over power you…"

"You're sure their ok?" Inquired Peach Tree…

"Yeah just a couple bangs to the head and a headache…No big deal…"

Peach Tree sighed and went back into her shell again…

"Peach Tree! Uh...You're not helping anyone this way…Think about how Master Oogway would feel if you resolved like this…"

This message seemed to hit Peach Tree's weak spot and she withdrew out again slowly...

Once the tortoise was out her shell, Zeng walked motionlessly to the gate and started pushing at it, Peach Tree indecisively helped him and together they brought door open…As soon as it was door open Zeng made a "after you" gesture issuing the tortoise inside and reluctantly with one last sigh she went in…

Little did she know until 2 seconds later that it a trap…The doors closed almost intensely behind her and the geese she seen closing it parted ways an in crisscross fashion and spit to their positions at the near wall of the arena...For it was the Jade Place famed arena that the tortoise was in…The rhino could only carry her half way before getting winded. Carrying a 400 pound tortoise up the mountain takes it out of you…


	10. Ambush!

Ambush!

Peach Tree paced around the famed Battle Arena with wonderment and a slight curiosity…It had been many days since she had last been to this arena and it hurt her heart to think about it…The atmosphere of the very room crept into the bellows of her soul and made her think about all the stuff that went on here…

But her attention was short lived for she was distracted by a noise off in the distance…A sharp chirping noise followed by a shadowy figure lashed out from hiding behind a pillar and bounded to the next pillar beside it….

Peach Tree backed away startled only to hear growling from behind her…She turn in the direction of the noise and saw two bright fierce yellow eyes looking back at her…The yellow eyes bounded out of the shadows to attack her and in a fury of fists and jabs she finally met up with their owner…A beautiful fierce tiger who matched up every jab coordination she could dish out.

While solemnly blocking every jab attack equally with her opponent Peach Tree never took her eyes of Tigress.

"One would think one would never see you back here again…" said the tiger cockily…

Peach Tree held her ground and paddled her way back against the tiger with her own arrange of jabs…

"One should keep their own their mind on their own destiny…"

As Peach Tree finished that statement a new opponent got in her way…Mantis…

"Technically we are following are destiny in hopes to defeating you…"Said the tiny bug as he perched off the tortoise's face from where he had been standing and bounded right up her right shell leg…Peach Tree instantly withdrew herself into her shell and waited for Mantis to bound to the right spot...When Mantis reached the peck the last jump Peach Tree had been waiting for, she and cuffed him, placing him on the ground.

In the process this manner Peach Tree instantly ducked her head within her shell to the on coming sensation of a Bo staff which was about to hit her….

Peach Tree slowly rose her head out of her shell to see what the commotion was about and instantly withdrew her head again to avoid to almost being whacked again…

The tortoise rose her head again to spot her oppressor and witnessed Monkey standing there smiling smugly…

Peach Tree stared at monkey and prepared a battle pose when the Arena's silence acquired strange panting noise...

Po was in the midst of heavily trudging himself down the steps of the stair case to the Jade Palace with Shifu...

"(Inhaling deeply….") I not use to so many stairs…"

Shifu rubbed his knuckle on his tunic and looked at his paw coolly… "You should be use to it by now…You've been living here for a month…"

Po dropped to his feet tired… "A month…I-

Po looked on to see the tortoise standing front of him and became flabbergasted as Shifu looked on more serious to the situation…"How'd she do?"

Tigress looked up to her master casually and reported back. "She's still sharp on her reflexes but could do better…"


	11. Your Home

You're Home…

Peachtree looked to the tiger discomforted but was quickly turned away to Shifu again when he began speaking…

"Your trade is fast Peachtree…But it is as not as practiced as it used to be…Will see that you work on that while you're here…." Said Shifu as he turned his back from the tortoise and paced up the stairs that where set behind him.

Peachtree took a few steps forward and inclined a question toward Shifu as he continued his way up the stairs… "And how long will that be for exactly?"

Shifu turned around smugly and faced her… "Oh, as long as your grandfather…"

This conclusion gave Peachtree a reason to sigh while Shifu sprinted away up the stairs…

Upon releasing the said training match over against Peachtree the 3 resident members of the Furious Five made their way up to the stairs as well...

When Peachtree passed bye Po on the arena's podium he tried to inquire if was she was alright but just let it go as she continued her way up the stairs…She looked too dismayed for inquiry...

…………..............

Sometime later that night in the Jade Palace sleeping lounge, Po found himself creeping down to the second floor for the use of a bathroom…

Po continued to tiptoe his way through the lower floor, trying not to make a peep as not to wake Shifu or Peachtree….

But oddly enough for Po, there was no reacting noising to be aware of…Not at all…

The panda could usually hear the minimal vocalized snoring of Shifu when he tried to sneak down to the lower level on other attempts but not today …

Po put his ear to Shifu's room door and listened intently but could not hear anything from the inside...So with careful paws, he gentle titled Shifu's room doors open and found no one…

Curious to this dilemma Po scratched his head and wondered where a red panda would have to go a 12:00 at night?

That's when Po heard loud a course he-yas and grunts coming from outside the lounge camber...

Po did his best to follow the sound as best he could which lead him down the lower level hallway and through an exit door, where he came across a strange occurrence and the source of the noise…Shifu was fighting with Peachtree…

Shifu left nothing back in his attack against Peachtree…He was shift in every manner which meant Peachtree had to be on her toes… She managed to block every attack Shifu dealt and spared back with her own which Shifu equally fended off…

Even on this complicated position where Peachtree was now in, she was crafty…Shifu was in the mists of spinning Peachtree around like a globe model like he had done to Po once when Peachtree grabbed out and snatched him in pursuit, tossing him up, over her shell into the sky above…

In return Peachtree crashed to gravity with her shell rattling violently…The shell span clockwise several times on the ground, giving its owner a massive headache while she revolved but that didn't stop Peachtree's sense of consciousness …

Shifu had fastened himself into a strike pose from upon being hurled up into air by Peachtree and was now coming in was fast at her from the air above!

Peachtree had to move fast at this incoming attack, so dragged her out claws from with her shell and caught the ground beneath them to stop to her rotation…Then she jump and moved out the way…

Peachtree's retreat from his targeted zone freighted Shifu, because he was now going to strike hard earth instead of his opponent…

Peachtree looked franticly at this somewhat scared that might Shifu get hurt when from out of now where voice came from behind her…

A large panda tumbled out the bushes behind her covered thistles, wearing a heavy face in dismay…

"I hate thistles…" Said the panda as he dusted himself off…

Peachtree drew his attention back the action at hand… "Uh, Shifu?"

Po snapped back to attention… "Oh right! (Falls onto his back to a star position...) Jump up and nab him!"

Peachtree hesitated on what he wanted to do making iffy… "Were not going to safe him any other way!"

Peachtree did as directly as she was told and launched into the air to capture Shifu…She succeeded but now was plummeting down towards Po instead…

Po looked on franticly and scared at the incoming threat when Crane ducked from the shadows and snatched up Peachtree by her claw…It was Master Crane…


	12. Hostile Truths

Hostile Truths…

Crane swooped down the ground with Shifu and Peachtree in toe and dropped them lightly on earth which gave Shifu the advantage of on last quick attack…The red panda jumped out crook of Peachtree's arm and grabbed her left middle talon hastily, flinging the tortoise to her back in one shift jumping motion…

Peachtree looked up from Shifu upside down bewildered but the red panda just stood looking at her sternly… "You get what you put out and that little move in the air was nothing short of consequence…It time for bed…Don't dally on your way up to the lodge…"

With that Shifu hurried with Crane in wake leaving Peachtree to sigh while she scoffed up to the lodged dismayed…

Po took this rare moment as opportunity to ask the girl question in her pit of despair… "Did you really concur the 1000 steps of the Jade Palace as a kid, just to meet Master Oogway after he save you from a crocodile?"

Peachtree just gave an age old phrase while she continued walking… "Silence is golden around here…"

Po looked on amused but then realized this as a mock… "Wow that's ya know…Hey!"

Meanwhile faraway back in the Reform Mountains correctional facility, Daiyu was thinking over the bits of info Madam Tranquil had given her about Oogway's death and a choosing of the Dragon Warrior…Who in their right maid was acclaimed enough to have that title other then Tai Lung? Surly not one of those Furious Five…

Daiyu scoffed at the idea and continued her pursuit of beating up an attack dummy when a few extra visitors joined the gym…

"Well, well, well, look at this guys, Little Miss Grudge…" Mocked a rhino he entered the room accompanied by two smaller boars…

Daiyu turned shiftily at this rouse and growled at the said rhino.

The rhino was the one she had met with before in the cafeteria…

Upon Daiyu's discomfort to this current situation, the two boars stoked a laugh for no apparent reason…

"What are so funny swine mongers?" Daiyu asked annoyed…

The boars both chuckled harmoniously as one responded… "You had no idea Oogway was dead."

Daiyu growled furiously at the comment… "What do you expect?!? No one tells me anything around here! Especially the fact that has someone has acclaimed the role of Dragon Warrior instead of Tai Lung!"

The rhino laid up against a near wall with his arms crossed borely… "Yeah well whatcha gonna do?"

Daiyu stared at him firmly… "Escape…"

With that Daiyu stepped forward to leave the gym but was prolonged when the rhino started to speak in response…"I wouldn't do that…"

Daiyu turned with irritated curiosity…

The rhino continued… "There's nothing there for you to return for…The Dragon Flute won't even help in the case you're after…"

Daiyu growled sharply at the rhino's bored manner… "Why not?"

The rhino continued to lean against the wall in a bored fashion, looking at his nails… "Because Tai Lung is as gone with the wind as Oogway is…."

Daiyu pounced fiercely on the rhino in on shift motion and toppled him over!

"TELL me what happened to him!" Screamed Daiyu as she sat atop rhino, claws bared.

The rhino gulp and sweated frantically…He didn't want to put Daiyu in a worse mood than she was…Daiyu was crazy when really provoked…She didn't meditate and saw Kung Fu's only use as a weapon of power... "Ok, ok… I tell you….Tai Lung's pass was due to the effect Whoosi Finger Hold, brought on by the Dragon Warrior…"

Daiyu imbedded her claws tightly within the rhino's forehead and spoke harshly… "Who is the Dragon Warrior?"

The rhino looked on frantically at Daiyu then caught sight of one of his boar buddies getting ready to charge the leopard from behind which suddenly changed his mood… "His name is Pow…"

Daiyu looked curiously at the rhino… "Pow?"

The boar answered that question for Daiyu as he made a sudden charge against her… "Yeah POW!"

Daiyu easily evaded the attack with a shift leap out way causing to boar to crash into the rhino...

Daiyu looked fireclay at the other boar who cowered away nearby…The boar too frightened of Daiyu's presents that he just blurted out the unthinkable… "Po is a panda, who's the Dragon Warrior…You find him in the Valley Of Peace…Just please don't hurt me…"

Daiyu smirked and then dashed away out of the gym... "That you…You been very much accommodating…"

The rhino and boar gazed back their buddy stiffly and the pig just looked on confused… "What? I squealer…"

Daiyu bolted through hallways of the facility at a high pace…She had to reach her room and figure a escape plan before anything else in her world fell out of order…Daiyu sprinted pasted several confused hippo guards who made tried to chase after her in pursuit but lost them when she reached her door and zipped inside…This confused the said guards even more…

Meanwhile in another location far away for the Reform Mountains, an elderly tortoise sat within the confines of a gazebo, meditating….

Usually her meditation was posed to the direction of her desire but today the universe pull differently…

In the tortoise's state of trace, everything was going regularly for her at the moment…She was trying to seek out the spirit of her mate passed on just recently to converse about a heavy question on her mind… But for some reason the mate was not answering…

This had been the turn out of several failed meditated attempts and filled the tortoise's heart with sorrow to see the end that way every time…

The tortoise sighed with within her trance like mind world and was about to bring herself back to reality when something took her mind for a loop… She was having a vision!

'A large explosion blasted its way through some huge doors of a facility, allowing a mysterious cloaked cat-like figure to make an escape from bounds of the place…The cat like figure made her getaway a at lighting speed down the mountain path she was on while a few pursuers made their way out the facility door to see what going on…They spotted the escape figure a mile and grew surprised and shocked at what they could make out…Daiyu was the escape artist…In the pursuit of running, her hood had fallen away and thus revealed her identity…'

The vision ended and the tortoise woke from her trance like state of mind, panting heavily as she cast her eyes to right with mixed feelings about her…

She had to get to Jade Palace straight away…


	13. Planning A Escape

Planning A Escape…

Daiyu sat on her bed; dismayed…She had nothing strong within her room vaguely strong enough blast through the front gates of the facility that held her within its walls… All she had to aid her in an attempt for half an escape was cloak a that Madam Tranquil had bestowed upon her last year for Chinese New Year, several raggedy clothes due to constant work out, rolled up scroll sketches of her and Tai Lung from once upon a time when they weren't fugitives and five smoke bombs she won in a night fight from against a captive Ninja Wolf…

With nothing on the table but these things she sighed and sprawled out on her bed, feeling something hard lightly bump into her foot… The girl in the mists of sullen mood swung herself back over a sitting position and crouched off the bed to see what was under it…

It was her firework collection kit…

In the days when their cub-hood back in the Valley of Peace…Tai Lung and Daiyu in the secretly pleasure of sneaking into the Jade Palace Battle Cinema and "barrowing" several fire works from the store house for their own private joy…But this end badly one night though… One the fire works went astray from the sky and crashed landed into Shifu's room, singeing his bed blanket…

The room didn't catch on fire but Shifu's inner rage did…He found out shortly after putting out his inflamed blanket that Oogway had been "magically fired upon by the universe again…" through meditation and went to see the tortoise….

The two masters put two and two together and realized someone had been playing down in the Arena for second time…After a first warning the last time, so Shifu sent out a message that all students go to the Sacred Hall of Warriors at once for integration….

After meeting 6 sleepy students it was clear Tai and Daiyu were missing...So Shifu sent out a handful of servants to find them and within in 6 seconds later they were found by a pig servant, trying to sneak back up to Lodge…

After a brief confrontation, they shortly ratted themselves out and were punished to spend the next day waxing and cleaning Oogway's shell while he meditated on his staff…

Since then Daiyu ever only saw fire works on special occasions but Tai Lung always surprised her with one or two for those bored days with an elder's permission…

Daiyu hugged the box fondly and though about the memory of old days with Tai Lung, which currently made her realize she had to get out of here just as fast…She looked down at the box plainly and then a smile creep across her face…

Daiyu acted quickly on whatever she was thinking and seized the nearby cloak and the sack of smoke bombs from the floor and took a packages of matches out from under a nearby candle stand… It was time make an escape but first she needed Big Boon…

Big Boon was a giant firework that was hidden within the firework store house for the lead cook's birthday party coming up next month…No one was to even know about it except for the cook staff but Ninja Wolf found out and told Daiyu…


	14. The Escape

The Escape...

When dinnertime rolled around for the members of the facility, Daiyu it made the perfect opportunity her escape attempt…There weren't as many guards around on shift during this of hour so it made it easier for her to creep through the halls…

Any guards Daiyu did bump into, just saw her as lost traveling lost delivery vender looking to take her wares to the firework store house and let her by…One guard was questionable and didn't but she handed him a piece gold and left in a hurry under his bewildered state, confusing him even more….

Daiyu picked up her pace and made it to the firework store house with still time to spare but that didn't mean she could think lightly on her feet…No the leopard worked hard and fast at task of opening the storage room lock and within a few short seconds reeked the spoils of her undeterred mission…Mountains of fireworks sat before Daiyu when she a got good foot into the room which made her awe struck at the sight them…Fireworks of every shape and size she could of ever imagined laid before her in this very room…It was almost too breath taking to touch one…But she did and it was real…That's when she realized her goal again and started packing rockets into her clock pockets…It was the hard task of calling Ninja Wolf in via dog whistle cause she feared he'd bring unwanted company but he didn't…

Two Minutes later Ninja Wolf and Daiyu were hauling out Big Boon under the veil of a clocked box, in disguises …When questioned by several passing guards, they said they were called in undertakers sent to retrieve a dead red panda who suffered a heart attack…Several sadden guards bought the said story and the two fugitives were free to carry on their mission…

It was only at the Facility Gateway that the foes did have a problem…Apparently the word the recent found dead panda had found its way to the two door guards which found this news astounding cause they never let in any undertakers on their shift…

"Undertakers, eh?" Inquired a rhino guard who stood before Daiyu and Ninja Wolf…

"Oh yes…. Answered Daiyu as she and Ninja Wolf nodded willingly in unison… "Poor dear… Think one rice cake too many… Don't you think so Jing?"

Ninja Wolf's attention was off for a second but quickly snapped back into line… "Oh…Yes sad thing…."

At this point the first Rhino guard hastily realized full extent of the truth behind this lie from spotting a hidden dagger on the wolf's person, accompanied by a few ninja stars…

"You two aren't undertakers! Undertakers would never wear daggers or stars!"

The Wolf looked upon himself and noticed his cloak wasn't concealing all his body as he first imagined… "Uh-oh…"

The first rhino guard turned to his partner…. "Call Madam Tranquil…I think both these yahoos are need in of a group therapy session…"

Daiyu growled at the though of seeing that stupid hippo again and leaped to the nearest wall to receive a torch…

"Got some grease?" The leopard gestured to the wolf…

For some odd reason the wolf produce a medium sack of gasoline from his trousers in response…

"Never know when gasoline will come in handy…" The wolf snickered…

"Good…Dump it at the near rhino's feet, just before the door…" Commanded Daiyu…

Both rhinos snickered at the wolf's act…

"What's that gonna get you…Nobody gets past us… Ring the escaped bell would ya there Jang?" laughed the first rhino…

"I know…" Snickered Daiyu quietly as she flung several fireworks from within her cloak to the guarded doors…

"What's this for?" Inquired the second rhino chuckling as he picked a firework…

"This!" Said Ninja Wolf as he pushed an inflamed box nearby the center space where the two rhinos stood, among the puddle of grease and several other scattered fireworks…

"Uh-oh..." They both said in unison as they tried to back away...

"Uh-oh is right…" called Daiyu as she hurled three of her five smoke bombs at the pile…

That along with the nervous stupidity of the second rhino guard's act of getting rid of his own firework, caused an explosion big enough to crack open the front gates behind the said guards, Allowing Daiyu and her partner made their break for it…

The two rhino's tried to Daiyu and the Wolf's attempt but they unleashed their remaining smoke bombs upon them and caused utter confusion in the wake …

When the giant beasts stopped coughing and sputtering and let the air in clear around them, they came to the conclusion of a rude awaking… Daiyu and the wolf were gone…


	15. The Mysterious Visitor…

The Mysterious Visitor…

While Daiyu and Jing the ninja wolf continued their rapid descent down the only mountain path that led up to the Reform Mountain Facility, attention was gained…Upon rounding a corner in the mountain side Jing suddenly stopped in a strange demeanor and pulled Daiyu to the ground while ducking down himself…

"What was the meaning of that?!?" Razzed Daiyu as she tried to pull herself up from the wolf that was pinning her down…

"Bola…" Quipped Jing kind of silently…

"Bola?" Asked Daiyu completely confused.

As sure enough said a single bola weapon made its way out of no where and quickly flew over their heads and landed a few feet in front of them…

"Their coming….We have to hurry…" Whispered Jing as he moved along more swiftly…

"Where will we go?" Asked Daiyu as she sprinted up next to him…

"To the Desert Ship…"Cracked Jing…

A smile made its made across Daiyu's face as she heard this… "Perfect…"

Meanwhile back at the Jade Palace things where going surprisingly well for Shifu over acquiring of Peachtree…She had not once complained about her daily assigned training rituals and took everything laid out for her seriously…It made Shifu proud to know that the tortoise was quickly coming out of her sullen demeanor but was sadly blinded to one over looked truth…Peachtree's undying devotion to her original master…

Peachtree had made it clear to herself that she wasn't going to fall behind in her Kung Fu thus putting effort into everything she did that day but was also clear on the fact within her own mind on not accepting a new master…No could fill the soul spot Oogway left in her heart and no was about fill his shoes either…

Peachtree looked at her claws as these current thoughts drifted through her head…She was standing aimlessly among the Floor of Flames, lost in thought over her original master…

A servant her back around though. "Uh, Madam Peachtree…The Fire Field closed now…"

Peachtree instantly shot back to life and made her way to exit the room… "Oh? Thank you…"

On the way out of the training hall, Peachtree stopped for a brief moment…She sensed someone else among the training room that wasn't one the servants but couldn't put her finger on exactly who…When she was about investigate further an voice rang out from behind her…

"Dinner time Peachtree…"

Peachtree turned on the spot and found Tigress behind her…

"Master Shifu does not like to be kept waiting…So try to quicken your manner seeing as you are not late……" Said the tiger as she bounded away in a flash…

Peachtree shook off the tiger's behavior with an exasperated sigh and then cast one more look back to the training hall behind her…No one except the training servants were still there so Peachtree shortly let go of her fixated mind and proceeded her way to the dining hall.

With Peachtree's leave signified, a servant goose gestured toward the shadows at the far left corner of the training room… "Ok…You can come out now…"

With that implied an elderly tortoise slowly made her way out of the said darkened area…

"Thank you Ai…" Whispered the tortoise in a soft voice… "No one must know I am here yet except for Master Shifu that is…"

The goose made a gracious curtsy... "You are exceedingly welcome Master Meihui…"

Nighttime quickly found its way over the Valley of Peace and blanketed everything in shadow indicating lights out for every one in the village and the Jade Palace…Everyone except Po…

The giant panda had been constantly keeping tabs on Peachtree's whereabouts and kept to trying engage her with conversation over fan questions that were starting to annoy her no end….

She finally took a stand and submerged herself within a swallowed pool that faced the sleeping lodge…

Abruptly taken by this act gave Po the idea to back off which caused him to moan and walk away unpleased…

Shifu couldn't help but chortle at the said display as he watched the scene from his view next to the Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom…

"I guess your Granddaughter's patient's level is not as acquired as your Master…" Shifu chuckled openly to himself as if Master Oogway present there next to him…

Although Oogway or some other force of in the universe found this not as amusing because the moment after Shifu uttered those words he was hit on the head lightly by a falling peach…

"Ouch! Oogway what is your discomfort!?! I was only making a joke…" Spazzed Shifu as he rubbed his head…

"You were making fun of my granddaughter…"Mused a voice from behind the tree…

Shifu edged around the tree cautiously and felt his heart skip at beat when he met the voice's owner…

"M-Meihui?"

An old tortoise stood before Shifu and nodded politely in response… "It good to see you again Shifu…


	16. Beautiful Wisdom

Beautiful Wisdom.

"Wha-what are you doing here?" Asked Shifu gently, baffled.

"Visiting you of course…" Answered Meihui in response as she lightly passed by him to make her way to edge of the peach tree's cliff…

Shifu immediately thought the worst of this situation and tried put himself between her and the cliff… "Whoa, whoa! What are you doing?"

"Meihui looked at Shifu with a relaxed yet sullen expression… "I only wish to see the path Oogway acceded from…He made it there peacefully?"

Shifu's expression softened greatly and drifted with despair… "With all the powerful force the universe drifting him in…"

Meihui stared at Shifu wide eyed and then turned her direction back to the face of the cliff while looking at the ground, dismayed.

"He wants to see you again…"

Meihui looked up at Shifu confused…

The red panda looked sincere in his gesture… "He wants to you again and he will come but he first wants you to understand the reason he left without telling you…"

"How am I supposed to figure that out?"

"He already told you…" Smiled Shifu cheekily…

Meihui looked away and shook her head...

Shifu brought her attention around again. "Look...Give it some time and think of all the conversations you had with Oogway right before he died…He mentioned one thing in his vision with me to get you on the right path…"

Meihui looked at him while feeling some what put off. "And that is?"

"Trees…"

Meihui turned to think for a moment but Shifu distracted her… "Enough about that…What brings you here the Jade Palace tonight?

Meihui didn't move from her thinking state… "Daiyu has made her escape possible..."

Shifu grimaced… "She's free!?! How is this possible?!? Yet she's no worry to the Valley but still…How is this possible?!?"

"Fireworks apparently...I had a vision of her escaping through a large doorway after an explosion… "

Shifu looked up frustrated. "That doesn't mean it could cause by fireworks! Focus Meihui! What else did your vision tell you?"

Meihui smiled warmly with a chuckle in her tone… "Nothing but Ofelia told me lots…Like the fact Daiyu is accompanied by a ninja wolf name Jing which adds more danger to things because ninja wolves are-

"Spies to Tai Lung's army…" Shifu shuttered

Meihui shook her head painfully… "If that army is reestablished by Daiyu…"

"Then we can kiss lives goodbye…What do we do?"

Meihui pointed down at Peachtree still submerged in the water… "Get rid of for her own safety and the Dragon Flute's…For the Dragon Flute can not be taken out of hiding without Peachtree's magic word…"

"Where do you suggest I send her?" Inquired Shifu.

"Wudang… Send the Dragon Warrior with her…She needs to remember what happiness feels like…" Answered Meihui…

"And you think Po can bring the happiness back to her life?"

"If there's one think I sense about that Panda it's a good heart…" Meihui grinned looking down at the sleeping lodge…"


	17. Cold Defiance…

Cold Defiance…

"You're absolutely sure about this?" Peachtree questioned to Shifu rather uncomfortably.

"It's the only way to insure the Dragon Flute's supreme safety, if you are not here to guard it…" Answered Shifu causally as he pasted the tortoise on his way to Oogway's credited section of the Hall of Warriors.

"Must the panda come with me? He's too exuberant…"

Shifu chuckled darkly while placing Oogway's staff (which he was previously examining) back on its stand. "That is exactly the point he needs to go with you. You been too sullen lately and it's depressing. Po can help you find your spark again…"

Peachtree turned to leave… "My spark was extinguished long with the flames of hope…"

Shifu instantly turned and skidded his way in front of Peachtree's path. "Don't you dare disrespect your Master by walking away! It's unrefined!"

Peachtree eyed the red panda naturally. "I'm not walking away from my master…

Shifu was left abruptly hurt by this and started wide as Peachtree continued to leave…

"Then how about your other benefactor?" Called a sudden voice.

Peachtree turned instantly to see Meihui step out of the shadow from a nearby pillar, wearing an angry face.

"I'm very displeased with you Peachtree. You know better than that to speak to a regaining master, much more your own. Now apologize."

"But He's not my-

"Apologize!" Snapped Mehui intensely but still with soft realm in her voice.

Peachtree gave in and sighed while exasperating. "Fine…I'm…I'm sorry."

Shifu repositioned himself next to Meihui with authority and cleared his voice. "That's quite all right but when you return I shall demonstrate to who your master really is…(Grabs Peachtree by her right middle finger and positions his fingers in Whoosh Finger hold.)Are we clear?"

Peachtree did soft gulp and nodded and then turned her eyes to Meihui…

The elder tortoise expression was not in her favor… "I'd do as he says…"

Peachtree nodded and waited for further announcements from Shifu…

"Go collect Po from running are around the hall like a maniac and collect your provisions... You leave tonight." Shifu said smugly.


	18. Provisions…

Provisions…

By the following evening Peachtree and Po had made their assent for the Wudang Mountains and were now heading westward.

"Can you slow it down a bit please? I don't have all of the strength you have to lug around these boxes. I lack the shell." Cried Po as he made his way up behind Peachtree who was standing nearby.

"Why did you pack so many provisions if you couldn't handle them?" Inquired Peachtree.

Po denied her truth…. "I can handle them…It's just hard walking up hill ya know? And I get winded easily… I'm not a pack mule! "

Two traveling pack mules on a ledge of another cliff heard this and brayed angrily at Po.

The two travelers just stared at the mules for moment then back at each other. "Let's see what you in here…" said Peachtree as she abruptly rummaged through knapsack without warning…

"HEY, that's mine! Cried Po as Peachtree investigated his bag…

"Hmmm…Dragon Scroll, Rice Cakes, Dumplings, Build-A-Buddy…"

"Hey, keep your talons of Gong!"

"Master Tigress notebook and matching designer pencil… Isn't this for girls?"

Po stammered… "I can explain that…See it was the only biggest one…"

"Bag of biscuits, pots, cooking utensils and herbs." Finished Peachtree… "You don't need the bread…It's just filler for your stomach."

Po gently pushed shooed the tortoise away. "What are you my mom? Back away…."

Peachtree paid little mind to the shove off and continued on her way with ease…. "Fine, have it your way…"

Po instantly removed himself from his peacefully lying position against the wall and scrambled to his feet, making his way after Peachtree.

Little was known to the traveling warrior as they were being watched from the Jade Palace…Tigress stood atop the tallest roof of the mystic dojo with a telescope to her eye as she reported back to Shifu who stood nearby with Meihui at the Peachtree of Heavenly Wisdom… "Peachtree assumedly tried to investigate Po's choice of packing and slightly irritated him in the process. Then she continued on her way having him scramble shortly behind…"

"What do you make of this?" Shifu questioned Meihui honorably…

"Peachtree would never ever invade someone's province like that unless she had an extremely good reason to…Tell me Tigress is Po still lugging behind?"

Tigress checked through her spyglass again… "No…From what I see he seems speedier... "

Meihui grinned at Shifu… "They'll learn from each other yet…" And then for some unexplained reason put her right hand to her chest plate…

Shifu absentmindedly noticed. "Are you alright?"

Meihui continued to hold her chest plate a mere second and nodded… "Yes…Its just that time is short and we don't want to lose a moment of it…You are the reigning Master of this Palace now, Shifu and I will respect by your rules but I do request to stay until I find out the meaning of Oogway's distant behavior…"

Shifu bowed his head down to the ground for a moment and then reproached Meihui with a grinning smile… "Remember to think of all the recent conversations you had with him before he died…The answer had something to do with trees…"

Meihui grandly put her fist in her hand…


	19. Legends

Legends…

Jing and Daiyu had ran consistently for many miles with few breaks in between to reach a place called Alkaline Flats, a long dried out lake plain that stretched for miles on end with no leisurely passage for common travelers…Those that did cross better be extremely careful or purposely looking for a fight because in the middle of this deserted place laid the Bandit Inn…A old wooden vessel that housed a hang out spot for the members of Tai Lung's army…

"There it lies…" Croaked Jing… "Are you ready for this?"

Daiyu just passed by the wolf undeterred. "If I'm not ready I'll just be seeing Tai Lung sooner and that accursed tortoise…"

"I though she lived in the Valley of Peace?"

"Oogway!"

"Oh…" Cringed Jing… "You know you shouldn't cruse the dead like that…They have ways making you slip up."

"Oh for the love of- Daiyu was cut of for miss placing her footing and instantly fell down the slope she was on…

Jing instantly ran to see the aftermath. "Are you all right?"

"Just help me up!" Cried Daiyu as she strained to pull herself up from the bottom of the dune. Apparently nothing was broken but she did sprain her ankle….

"That's gonna need some looking at…" Muttered Jing as he slid down the dune to examine Daiyu. "Come Dr. Bright-Eyes will fix you."

"Dr. Bright-Eyes is still here?"

"Yes, but don't the line: "Turn around bright eyes" with him… He'll play make the tooth fairy work over time on you… Poor pig ninja lost his four front teeth for that one… " (Tai Lung didn't run with peaceful guys…)

Daiyu just sighed as Jing hoisted her along. "Just get me to the doctor Smart-Wolf."

………………………………………

"Hmmm….Your ankle seems fine except for the fact its going need a tenser banged for the next 5 days…" Said Dr. Bright-Eyes as he previously just watched limp his way in a test.

"What should I due till than? Asked Daiyu "The Dragon Flute isn't going to float here by itself..."

"You're still after that crazy dream Daiyu? It's a fool's errand…"

"**Showron is no fool's errand…"**

** scoffed at the idea while returning with Daiyu's bandage. "Showron is a mere myth...Nothing more…"**

"**You don't belive the story that flute could summon Showron from his hiding place?"**

"**The story of Showron lying asleep for all these years in the bottom of a great cavern under the East China Sea is just a legend. You got to far into that as a cub…" Croaked the crocodile as he tethered Daiyu's foot.**

**Daiyu smirked a smear when he was finished. "Some legends are worth proving further depth…"**

…………………

Peachtree sat quietly along the edge of the Pool of Sacred Tears in a practiced meditation state while Po did Kung Fu movements in the background, uttering out hiyas and other battle cries. When he stopped, he approached Peachtree in a sweating manner…

"That Kung Fu stuff takes it out of you….Hey what are you doing? I haven't seen you meditate like that before…. Usually you're all still and devoid of life when you do that…"

Peachtree dropped her claws and slapped them to her knees exasperated while eying Po. "How do you know that?"

"I may have peeked in on you after dinner the other night among the Hall of Warriors under Oogway's section…" Murmured Po, tapping his in guilt…

To his surprise she turned rather sullen and moved away seven steps from the pool … "I wanted to be with him again….I thought the staff would hold stronger energies for meditation…"

Po looked at stared wide eyed against her back… "You believe strongly in this spirit stuff don't you…?"

Peachtree looked at him honestly. "There's no better way to learn…"

"Yeah…Well being a scholar in Aesthetics philosophy is one thing but being a stick in the mud about it is another…"

"How you know I was a philosopher?"

"Dude, you're Peachtree for crying out load! You were a top ranking student as one Oogway's last pupil before he retired, right up there with your bother-

Peachtree looked away again… "That's one story I will not allow you to talk about…"

"Sensitive area right…" Mutter Po shamefully.

"What do you want to from here?" Asked Peachtree….

Po smiled smug… "I wanna see how you fight…If I can tell by your style I'll know you defeated Daiyu."

Peachtree looked on unmoved… "You don't know if it was me?"

"Well…Oogway ordered the artist of the "Daiyu Knockout Story" to be concealed so not to spread gossip…"

"Oogway's holds the favor of his students…Lets fight!"

Po looked on baffled… "His students, (grows smug...) or student?"

Peachtree just answered with a running charge at Po…


	20. Tortoise VS Panda

Tortoise VS Panda…

Po had to keep his direct attention focused on Peachtree when she fought cause she moved like lightning…Every strike she delivered against him had to be swiftly defended without a moment's notice and every jab the panda returned to her was easily blocked.

"You're not someone who's easily put down are you?" Po panted slightly, catching his breath for a moment …

"Not in the slightest…" Answered Peachtree, completely focused in a ready battle strike… "Are you sure you want to continue with this game?"

Po continued to pant slightly for a sec while bringing his head down to his knees in a crouch while giving Peachtree the "1 moment finger gesture." Then he returned upward and gave out a loud huff while turning his attention sternly toward the tortoise. "This isn't a game. Its to see if you really defeated Daiyu at the Jade Palace all those years ago."

"What's it matter if I did or didn't? Some things are meant to be kept silenced…"

Po smiled smugly while preparing his own battle stance… "I'll get the silence to talk…I just need the right motive..."

Peachtree shook her head to how dumb the panda's whole motive was, while gently sighing….

Po caught this in the corner of his eye while glancing over to the Pool of Sacred Tears and turned abruptly to Peachtree, His face still smug. "You know I once wiped my pits with the water from that pool on my first training expedition up here with Shifu when I had to get ready to face Tai Lung …"

Peachtree's answer to this was not verbal but physical…In one swift moment Po found himself battling off Peachtree's assaults again but this time with more force behind it. Po was contently smug for through the first half of the fight as he equally traded a heavy array of slaps, jabs and blows and blocks against the tortoise.

"Why are you doing this me?" Peachtree asked fiercely, neck to next with Po, in a stance with two fingers at the ready for a nerve strike if the case maybe…

"I want to know if you defeated Daiyu." Po answered in his own stance, still continually smug. "Oh by the way you may have realized through some of those earlier direct punches to the stomach that they didn't faze me. Neither will a nerve attack."

Peachtree just returned to her motive of trying to bring down Po with a string of in_furiated_ combo attacks, some of which Po was unable able to keep time to and often found himself repeatedly on his back.

Although this act did not last long because just they were about to engage for a third round (at least Peachtree was), it began to rain….

The sudden effect of the rain made the tortoise baffled for minute, causing her to toward the sky and giving Po the open move for assault…

Without a moment's notice was Peachtree suddenly grabbed by the arm and twisted onto her back now up, to find she was now looking up a frustrated Po…

"Are you gonna tell me if your the one who defeated Daiyu or are we gonna have continue this through the rain?"

"Why you so dead set to know?"

"Cause I have to know! It's the greatest Kung Fu mystery to me other than what the Invisible Trident of Destiny might to like …"

Peachtree broke into a chortle… "One knows what that looks like…Not even Oogway, who had the power see the majority of good and bad in people's hearts…"

There was short silence after that as she pulled her gaze away from Po.

"Look, I'll let you up now if you tell me the secret to what I want to know or you can just kick me off and we start this whole thing over again, if you find your way around this…"

Po instantly locked his index claw and thumb around Peachtree's right middle talon…

"You gonna tell me?"

Peachtree gulped heavily… "I guess I have to…But when I do you have to promise me you won't breathe a word of this to anyone else. This secret is to never reach villager's ears…I don't need that kind of identification or gossip…"

Po had already let go Peachtree's talon and was now covering his mouth with his hands over inhaled cheeks.

"I KNEW IT WAS YOU! I have so many questions to ask you like: What was it like facing off against a livewire like Daiyu? Probably too easy for someone like you-

At this Peachtree had returned to her feet and was now silencing the panda with a direct hand gesture. "You only asked for one question and thus I shall give you only one answer…Yes, I defeated Daiyu all those years ago…Are you happy now?"

Po was as giddy as a school girl as Peachtree turned her back to him and headed back to their stuff to lodge away in her shell till the rain passed… "ESTATIC!"


	21. The Book of the Dragon Flute

The Book of the Dragon Flute.

Daiyu sat in a shadowed corner at a lone table to the left of the Inn's stairs, in deep thought. She had to convince to the people around her that her mission wasn't just a fool's errand but a real deal. A deal that could set forth the very destruction of the Valley of Peace and bring its citizens to their knees, something all the bandits wanted. But how could she go about explaining this without being laughed at and shot down again?

Daiyu had tried once before to get the attention of the bandits to help her free Tai Lung but when she brought up the story of the Dragon Flute to help her in her operation they all shunned her away and laughed at the idea. It was only considered a fairy tale legend that was rumored out of the Jade Palace; No one had ever taken it seriously, which was what originally had led Daiyu to doing things her own way…

Daiyu's thought process hadn't progressed any further when she called on Jing for assistance. The wolf was literally at her beck and call the moment she summoned him. "What do you think I should do about this whole thing?"

"Give up?" Shrugged Jing. "Their never going to believe you that the Dragon Flute is real or that it can bring forth such power. So why not just give up? You free now anyways."

"Yes but they'll be searching for me…That hippo won't give up a moment's notice until I'm found. She's probably ranting to her master right now how it's all her- Daiyu's mood swiftly changed at the sudden thought that was now bubbling in through her head and Grinch like smile plagued her lips.

"Help me up!" Cried Daiyu to the wolf immediately as she tried to stand up on her chair, wincing in the process.

"But your leg… Eyes said to stay off it-

"Now! Please?"

Jing gave in and helped the leopard up.

"Everyone can I have your attention please?" Cried Daiyu from the top of the stool out towards the center of the Inn, gathering several people's attention much of which didn't care what she had to say.

"How many of you know Oogway is dead?"

This question caused several people to rise from their seats intrigued with shock or fury just at the mention of Oogway's name because many of them had misfortunes with Oogway before trying to over throw the Valley of Peace.

"Why do you bring that damn turtle's name in a place such as this? Unless not to be joked on? He insure me and brothers a harsh punishment of doing tongue-ups in Valley after he found us urinating all over the Wudang Mountain Temple Shrine. I got had dirt in my mouth for 7 days strait." Cried a gorilla bandit.

Daiyu tried to conceal her laughter… "Well you shouldn't have peed on his statue then...Hee."

"GRRRRRRR! Why do you bring his name here of all places? We don't anything to do with him."

Daiyu cleared her throat peacefully and continued. "You don't have to, he's dead. I prove this by proving the word of Madam Tranquil who never lies. She also told me that Oogway's wife isn't doing so hot either. Appears she's devastated that her mate left without her knowledge."

"What do what here Daiyu?" Crooked a crocodile in the background.

"To do what I always wanted to do: set free Tai Lung from Chor Gom Prison but sadly he's no longer with us…."The whole audience gasped in frightfully astonishment to how she knew this while Daiyu expression turned hard again. "But that doesn't mean we can't bring him back…"

The crowd's atonement deepened as Daiyu withdrew a leather parchment from her belt and flashed around to the witnesses. "This is a page from the very book that was designed on how use the Dragon Flute. This page alone accompanied by the Dragon Flute can resurrected anyone from the dead the user chooses. This is how we will bring back Tai Lung."

The crowd just laughed her seemingly mock act and were about to turn away when she redrew to one who had not laughed at her approach and simply tried get away to back the off the room. "Does this look real to you Huizhong ?"

The crowd returned their gaze to an aged crocodile that made his way back through the crowd. Huizhong was much smaller and scrawnier then most of the buffed crocodiles in the hideout, in truth he wasn't like any of the other the crocodiles at all. He was a special prisoner.

Huizhong had once been the librarian to the Jade Palace and was the most trusted friend Oogway could have ever asked for in hopes of an adviser, even deeper than that because Huizhong was one of the first friends Oogway had originally made when he came to China. Huizhong's loyalty was so far deep with Oogway that the tortoise had trusted him with secrets that were never to be shared outside the Library walls. One the secrets was the location of where the Dragon Flute Book hidden the in Palace.

A book that thought user of the Flute how command its power, all through music notes combine with written instructions as well. Only someone with the right know how could truly handle something as astounding as the Dragon Flute, it's book and even more, Showron, the ancient dragon that was bound by the flute's power to do the users bidding. There was a page in the book to set Showron free of flute's power if user had ever felt generous even enough to it but nobody ever had. Who would want to release extreme power? Plus there was the also slight idea that dragon might want to take revenge the on Earth after being bound to that stupid flute for so many years, but that was just story wasn't it?

Anyway Oogway after bestowed the duty to Huizhong of guarding the Palace's most secret treasure he obediently obeyed his charge until one night his curiosity got the better of him. Huizhong's just wanted one quick look through the book see what was so great about it and that was when the incident happened…He was caught mists of a young watching Daiyu who was up pass her bed time playing a game of Night Hide and Go Seek with Tai Lung and was seeking a place to hide. . Huizhong quickly closed the book upon the young cub's appearance and shooed her off to bed but before she question him about it. Huizhong simply said it was none of her business and try to scoot her out of the room when she asked another question out of the open: "Is its Oogway's business?" This left a crocodile in a predicament with mixed feels and an undecided conscience at the momement in time. When the young cub questioned him againg snapping him out out of a second gaze the crocodile broke down and decided to let her have one quick peek at the book but with that enventauly a grew interest in the young snow leopard and guilt hidden by that time comsumed Huizhong so much that he finally told Oogway about it leading to a light confrontation with Daiyu about it to forget what she had saw and return her attention to other activities. By the end of it all Huizhong felt so wound up with guilt for what he had done to Oogway, he left Jade Palace without giving further consideration on the ordeal and left Oogway heavyhearted. Ever since then he's been left feeling guilty and dismayed at himself for his own stupid action.

Years later after that Huizhong was captured one night by a team of bandits who were lead by a grown up Daiyu who wanted find out more about that mystical book that sweep away form her know-how all those years but Huizhong refused to tell her anything even several knifes at his throat so Daiyu took on other motives to make him talk. She ordered the bandits to take him to their hideout and do the Inn's endless gold counting until he talked then he was free to go. But he didn't so that how's he came to be here now.

"I asked you again Huizhong; does this page look real to you?" Asked Daiyu as the crocodile stood staring at the sheet with a long absent minded gaze. "Well?"

"It appears real but you'd need the book to tell if-

The crocodile stopped dead of his speech and started wide eyed and pointed astoundingly at Jing who some how was miraculously holding up a book with ripped an identical rip line to that of the torn page. "How you get that!?!"

Jing smile evilly as he closed the cover to the book which had an insignia of a dragon flute on it. "We have our ways. Got the new librarian into talking while her life and husband were at stake."

But the crocodile had already fainted hopelessly at another sight…Watching Daiyu fit her torn page up so easily against the line that sat within the book…This was this missing page to Dragon Flute's Manuel.

"Anyone else don't believe me?" Cooed Daiyu lightly with playful tone in her voice.

All the members of the crowd backed away from her with a fearfully gaze in their eyes.

"No, no, we believe you. It's just hard to come by that's all." Stammered a gorilla bandit.

"Good" Smiled Daiyu cunningly "Then you won't have problem listening to my objective as we plan to over take the Valley of Peace."

The crowd stood idle by with mixed emotions as Daiyu continued to deliver out her plan to them…


	22. The Vision

Captain Chen Koto belongs to **DolphinMoana** on DeviantART also known as The Geeky Brunette on Fanfiction.

The Vision

There is a place that lies beyond the vast body of the universe that no living person can penetrate even through the strongest of meditation: The Higher Plain. A place where all good natured beings go after they die. It's a place of surrounding beauty, serenity and limitless truth those who dwelled there in its vast reaches. But even within its timeless peace something troubled one of the most recent of members.

"Why do you look so discomforted Grand Master?" asked an elder red panda softly while standing the edge of great lake bank before an ancient tortoise that was submerged in the shallow water a little way in front of him.

"I miss her." responded the tortoise heavy heartedly, not moving from his spot to make eye contact.

"Well…" began the red panda at a loss for words, turning away to rub the back of his head for effect. "She'll be here soon enough…We can't rush things…"

"I know but I still miss her..."

"Yes, well *cough*, we've got other things to do right now master. Like diverting Tai Lung's attention away from Daiyu's planning. He won't stop boosting about how she's a clever little minx and stuff like that. Chang-Chang has tried to color the water to a murky red as to stop Tai Lung's process of viewing Daiyu in secret but he found out about it with the "persuasion" of Zee and threatened her stop to it or he'd plunge her into the magic maelstrom the leads into the other place."

Oogway looked away from the pool in front of him, with a slightly building infuriated demeanor and turned back to face Captain Chen Koto, the honorable red panda standing beside him. "Is that so?"

Koto bowed to his knees and clasped his paws to the air above him. "Yes Master!" Although Shifu had trained Tai Lung as a son to be one of the mightiest of Kung Fu warriors ever, the leopard's later actions in life disapproved in Koto's eyes. He did his very best to appease to his master's eyes and show the greatest for Tai Lung but secretly didn't like him, Something that Oogway had just recently sensed upon entering the Higher Plain.

"And Koto you will be nice to him won't you?" Asked Oogway cheekishly sly, eying the red panda as he descended out of the lake.

"Yes- Yes, Master!" Said the red panda blushingly, he face turning deep purple.

Oogway smiled cheekily again before turning away. "Good."

* * *

Meanwhile back in the realm of the living, Meihui had sat in constant meditation over the course of seeing Po and Peachtree leave for the Wudang Mountains that night atop till with Shifu. She was determined to recall the incident with Oogway over the discussion of trees before his death but had little success remembering it.

"*Gasp* Oh, its hopeless…" said Meihui lightly to as herself as she came out of another failed attempt to vision up Oogway's way. "What ever this meaning is it has nothing to do with tre-

Meihui was then suddenly cast into darkness without any further reason and what now lay before her was a over sized pulsing white that took her into a vision of it's own or rather a lost memory of hers…

Everything was gray at first but shiftily that changed into memory.

It was the day during of Po's first official training session within the Jade Palace when Meihui stopped in to visit Oogway. Upon their visit that day Oogway shows Meihui the continuing determination of the Dragon Warrior who was now just pitted against Master Viper.

"That was AWESOME! Let's go again!"

"The Dragon Warrior doesn't seem to be giving up on his appointed task…" smiled Meihui peeking through the doors of Training Yard.

"That is to be expected of him…" Smiled Oogway next to his mate, he didn't have to see the Dragon Warrior's success to know he was trying.

"And the way Shifu is regarding the situation is as you said… Not tolerable..."

Oogway turned away from the scene with a gloomy effect. "That is to be expected of Shifu..."

Meihui looked at Oogway as he moved away from the scene dismayed. "What are you going to do about it?"

Oogway turned back to face his mate regularly. "As much as the wind can do…"

Meihui sighed. "Why?"

"Because a leaf cannot stay with its branch for the remainder of its life..."

"It must make away for the sky to make room for a new bud."

Oogway chuckled softly at his wife's attention and gestured her to follow him some place else. That was when the vision ended and Meihui was pulled back into conscious. Among one the first things she saw upon her arrival back to reality was an over weight peach sitting in front of her. This made her growl and shake her head furiously but not outside of a playful manner. "You're lucky I'm not up there yet!"

The other sight was Shifu staring at her strangly while standing a few feet away to the trunk of the Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom.


	23. Bigger Problems and Fruit Salad

Bigger Problems and Fruit Salad.

Upon recollecting that Shifu was nearby, Meihui causally pulled herself up off the ground and dusted herself, while going into a mode of taichi attempting to conceal her embarrassment of the whole scene in front of Shifu.

"What brings you here Shifu into the late hours of the night?"

"I was considering doing some meditation up here to relax…The 5 are operating the training hall after hours to be in peek physical condition for when Daiyu comes…Not that they need it…" chuckled Shifu.

"They will…" Said Meihui staring off into the middle desistance, readably pained.

"What do you mean by that- Shifu immediately dropped off his sentence to the sudden realizing conclusion of things and altered the way of the conversation. "when are they coming?!? When did you this?"

"Visions do not depict the timing of things…It could be tomorrow that this happens or the next day... But I did see you and the 5 at the ready to fight this mess."

Shifu was too busy having a self-muttered exclaiming fit behind Meihui's back to hear the reassuring tail part of her prediction.

"How do we stop this!?!" Shifu fused to himself.

"You must have the warriors train more for what is to come for I saw what looked liked to be a hundred and fifty thugs making their from the west down towards the valley."

Shifu sighed heavily, rubbing the back of his head with his left paw. "We need help…" Then he shifted his gaze to Meihui. "We need you."

"I'll help as much as I can but time is running out for me…'

"What are you saying?"

"I feel my tree's pain…"

"Shifu's voice broke… 'How much time do you have left?"

Meihui cast her gaze back to the distance, sadly. "I don't know..."

…………………………………………………………………..

Unaware of everything that was happening else where in the world had given time for Po and Peachtree to get know each other better.

Po in the last day had discovered Peachtree's childhood story her starting connection with Oogway.

"So you really wanted to learn how to balance upside down on a stick?" Questioned Po as the two friends sat in a huge camping which Peachtree help Po set up for his own use. (She didn't really need it with her shell on board…)

"It seemed interesting to me at the time… If Oogway could pull it off, why couldn't I?" answered Peachtree as she gazed strangely into a bowl of soup Po had just recently given her. "There are no tortoise parts in here, are there?"

"What? No! It's just plain old hot water and onions. Everyone in the Valley loves it. Especially the Furious Five and Shifu..."

Peachtree sighed and put down her bowl. "Shifu…"

"What's wrong with Shifu?"

"Shifu sent me out on this crazy self-help journey with you when I could have been studying Scroll 51 by now…"

"Wait, wait, Scroll 51? You don't mean…"

"(Sighs) Yep… The 1000 Scrolls of Kung Fu."

"You've mastered 51 scrolls already?" Asked Po, completely flabbergasted. "I haven't even mastered one!"

"Well, time pays off…" Peachtree said with a smirk.

"Now were getting the fun part out of you …" said Po crossing his arms and leaning back, smug. "It's about time."

"What fun part?"

"Oh come on! No can be that dead set towards Kung Fu! I'm sure even Oogway had his days off where he did nothing but sleep for sixteen hours submergered in water."

"How did you know-

" I looked it up and my dad and I use to take visits up to Lotus Lake when I was a cub to place orders for bamboo nakin rings for our shop. Point is:give into those days. You spent all your time working on Kung Fu and you burnt out. You need some vacation in your life."

"Yeah… Hey, your soup's getting cold, better drink it down while it's still warm."

"You too. And give Shifu another chance… He's not a bad guy, just dealing with some stuff…"

"Yeah I know. I was there when he trained Tai Lung as a cub. It was a sad thing… He always seemed so hopful that he'd be the Dragon Warrior…"

"Did Shore Pebble ever consider…"

"He didn't… said Peachtree with a sigh, taking her first sip of the Secert Ingredent Soup and surpringly found herself slurping up another sip.

"This is good!" She said in between continual sips.

"If you like that, you like the bean buns. I've got two left…"

"Two?"

"I needed a reward for doing push ups while you metated earlirer."

Peachtree shruged plainly. "I'm a all-around vegitaren so it doesn't matter. Speaking of which you better not touch my furit salad."

"What's a furit sald?"

At this both friends laughed hard in unison and wiped their tear ducts.


	24. Sure for Shore Pebble

Sure for Shore Pebble.

Mention of Eri and Shifu's father are under ownership of Dolphinmoana on and the Geeky Brunet on .

In all the weeks that pasted involving the Daiyu crisis, Lotus Lake sat the same, un-changed and unbothered. Nothing had reached the ears outside the Jade Palace about current events to pass, so citizens within and without the Valley remained calm.

Although this was about to change for someone…

Shore Pebble (Peachtree's oldest brother) who had previously decided to extend his visiting time with his family from a few original days to two whole weeks, stood solitary amongst the town Plaza of Lotus Lake portraying a series a tai-chi excises when his mother dropped by to see him.

"Your grandmother wants to see you." muttered Lotus Flower lazily.

"Where is she?" questioned Shore Pebble without even opening his eyes to face her, continuing his motion.

"In your head…" Lotus Flower muttered again, strolling away. The lady tortoise was fed with her family was with falling apart... Over the last few weeks since Peachtree's departure to the Jade Palace things in Lotus Lake had not brightened up. Bo (Shore Pebble and Peachtree's youngest brother) was still in a disarray of not perking up. Sure he had come to terms with Oogway's death and had tried to move on but the gloomy atmosphere had not left him, making him unoriented. Shore Pebble was hanging around for the few extra weeks to help around Lotus Lake because he felt it was the least he could do to make up for his family. Meihui had been gone for a number days up at the Jade Palace, doing who knows what, so higher council had been placed on Lotus Flower, which made things tougher.

Shore Pebble re-shifted himself into a meditation position and concentrated all his focus onto his task with little effort at all…Soon he was sitting amongst the clouds of the Plain of Enlightenment with a familiar acquaintance.

"Why do you wish of me?"

"Since when does a grandmother need a wish from her grandson?"

"You called me…Clarifying you help with something or you wouldn't have bothered. Unless you want me to apologize to someone's spirit for a self made choice decided years ago…"

"I'm not here to talk about that…" Meihui sighed somewhat gravely "Shifu needs you."

"I don't need Shifu..." Shore Pebble said truthfully direct.

"You will." Meihui snapped, perturbed at her grandson's ignorance, but then softened her facial features to a sadder look, drooping her neck slightly to the right. "The whole Valley is riding on it."

"What is there to come?"

Meihui looked Shore Pebble directly in the eyes. "Daiyu."

Shore Pebble crossed his arms and retorted. "She's not much of a threat."

"The hundred and fifty that follow her are."

"Under what notion?"

"The Dragon Flute."

"Yeah right…They'd have to be pond scum to follow that…"

"The pond scum follows."

Shore Pebble sighed deeply. "What do I do?"

………………………………………

"You're insane." Shore Pebble remarked to Meihui as they both stood outside the entrance of the Jade Palace.

"Not insane, just temporarily assertive."

"Shifu is going to have it out with you, not to mention what Oogway's spirit may do after this. I not allow not on this mountain after what I pulled."

Meihui looked at Shore Pebble with a realizing look. "You're guilty?"

Shore Pebble didn't answer but his bothered look explained it all.

"**You must ****succumb and make with peace with the past so that you and Oogway can move on. It's best for both of you."** "**How is this manageable?" Shore Pebble asked in utter muddle meant.** "**By leaving the premises." said a voice before the two.** **Shifu was standing in the now open doorway to the Jade Palace, looking stern.** "**Higher matters are at hand than right now then some stupid feud going between Shore Pebble and his grandfather."** "**Stupid? He refused to commit to the last scroll test on his way to becoming a full fledge Master and ran off to train under Master Ox, another pupil under Master Oogway."** "**Oogway wanted me to balance on a bamboo shoot the height the sized of a ruler!" scorned Shore Pebble.** "**To become completely balanced in mind as well body. (To be as shift in mind (thinking) as you are your body (movements).** "**I was able to balance in mind as well as body!"** "**Not completely! The final test proves that you can in hold all, to be a true master of your own domain. (To think as well as you can act)" ** "**Why did Oogwawy have you balance on?" ** "**A thimble...BUT that's not the point! You betrayed us and lost yourself complete mastery unless were you to be taken in by me under the last which I will highly doubt will happen-** "**It will because I'm leaving him here with you." Meihui interrupted fully calmly **assertive. "**You can't-** "**Oh, you think I can." Meihui declared sternly, not out of her usual comfortable manner. "You see even being a quest here; I still am considered an elder over you Shifu. I recall taking care of you when no else at the place could."** "**That is completely irrelevant to the case. Plus I am the Grandmaster now-** "**Let him in you'll never get a bamboo cookie from me again, flavored with cinnamon."** **Shifu gave in strangely to this. "All right… Wait! I can't upset Oogway's wish with this."** **Meihui smiled smugly. "You leave Oogway to me."** "**You can't resist her cookies?" asked Shore Pebble to Shifu as they walked through the doorway, following Meihui.** "**No red panda can. My father was a serious addict."**


	25. Somebody's Final Chapter

Somebody's Final Chapter.

"Master, are you crazy?!?" Tigress asked profoundly to Shifu in the midst of portraying her swift skill against the fierce combination of the Porcupine Swings and Snake Legs amongst the Training Hall.

It had only taken Tigress a mere second to catch the entrance of somebody with Shifu she did not wish to see…

"He betrayed us!" The tiger spat again. "Why do you trust him?"

Shifu sighed gravely, turning his head a little and not meeting her gaze. "Because Meihui trusts him and I rather give up my left arm then make her unhappy."

"But Meihui in all her greatness is only a supporting master, she doesn't have the power to run the Palace, she denied any such possible position long before Oogway passed away, saying her place laid in Lotus Lake." said Crane stepping forth.

"Yes but she is still very revered and we need the help, so no more complaining. That's final." Shifu concluded somewhat upset and stalked away leaving Shore Pebble to face the Five.

"But Master?" Viper interjected.

Shifu just continued walking and just gestured the spin around sign toward Viper.

The snake returned her gaze angrily to Shore Pebble. "You may be here under Shifu's rule but do not think we will resubmit to liking you. You hurt us all the night you left this place and tore rip in Oogway that can not be forgiven."

"It was not my chose to come here." said Shore Pebble quietly.

"Yeah, well Meihui must have eaten something bad in the lake if she thought letting you up here would solve our problems. Come on guys." cocked Mantis as the four warriors turned to leave the room.

"Do not speak illy of my grandmother Mantis or my brother." Intervened a voice from outside.

All the warriors looked to their right in the direction of the voice, on their way out and found Bo, the youngest brother of Shore Pebble and Peachtree, sitting against a beam fiddling with a bo staff. He had just finish a lesson match with Master Monkey.

Before Oogway's death, Bo had long taken teaching lessons under Master Monkey in the art of staff fighting and would be seen two or three times a week at the Jade Palace. But as of late he stopped coming. Oogway had also encouraged Bo in the way of the staff and to Bo was part of his motoavation. When Oogway died Bo lost his will to try anymore... He was only at the Jade Palace now upon Meihui's request.

"I have to go and do something that's not here…" stammered Crane polity, flying away, not wanting part of this situation.

"He desemated his reletionship with his master and blew off any chance of becoming a true master himself. How can you not feel disturbed by that?" asked Tigress ,skeptically.

"I know what he did was wrong and even though I can't see myself forgiving him much, we have to. A war is coming soon and we need all the muscle we can get.." Bo said, getting up from the beam and shuffling away with slight irritation over the other's bickering and a mixture of his own dilemas.

"So what do we do now?" asked Viper.

"Meatation." Tigress awnsered simply "It's the only way to get rid of these bad vibes surround the place."

"I tell ya of one bad vide that's isn't gonna go away…" chuckled Mantis.

Tigress and Viper just glared at the bug.

"Hehe…Metitation time." stammered Mantis feeling a little hot under the collar.

"What are we going about Shore Pebble though?" asked Viper, indecating the still standing torotise behind them."

"Let him to me…" said a silent up till now Master Monkey. "I need a sparing partner."

The other 3 gasped at Monkey's sudden additue.

"Have you not been listinening?" Asked Mantis profounded "He's a traitor!"

"I know but we need the help just like Bo said and I need a sparing parter, so tough cookies! Hey ,sparing partner!" adressed Monkey to the lone standing tortoise as he enter the Training Hall."

"He's has no issuses." Viper said looking on asounded.

"He never did… Monkey's not the kind of person to hold something against them." awndered Tigress, turing away.

"Maybe we should all do the same…" inculed Viper.

"Yeah well, only when Oogway forgives him first!" Mantis chirped in.

"The other two just glared at him again. "Ok. I'll shut up."

* * *

"I shall never forgive him!" cried a angry specteral form of peach petals that took up the image of Oogway infront of Meihui's peachtree back in Lotus Lake.

"You've been angery at him long enough don't you think?" asked Meihui gently in response to Oogway's heavy outburst."

"No and my agrrestion serves you purpose as well! How could you go behind my back and invite him up to the Palace when I decleared his passage un-returnable?"

"You need to forgive him, Oogway…Forgiveness sets us all free in the end."

"Hmpht. Don't use philophophy on me…" Oogway scorned lightly.

"All right then take this as a message then…If you don't forgive him, I won't mirgerate with you to a Higer Plain… Our spirits ever disconnected."

Oogway looked up startled. "You don't mean that…"

Meihui shifted her eyes downward, saddened. " I do."

"But our spirits have to be together…I'd die without you, which I already have…Meihui please?"

"Then do as I request…Will you?"

Oogway sighed deeply….

"I know what he did appalled you and shook the very ground we all stood on but I'm asking you to forgive anyway, for the sake of what we have become." said Meihui, closing her eyes, clasping her hand over her fist and casting her head downward a in turn caused a light breeze of peach petal blossoms to rain down upon her, in taking the tortoise's very being within them and dissolving it into peach petals as well. Which then scattered away into the night sky, leaving Oogway there to comtemplate his decision.


	26. Tao

Tao.

Huizhong fiddled agitatedly with one of the shackles on his wrists by trying to unclamp with the means of his tail when someone was randomly shoved into the tent he was held captive in.

"You'll stay there birdie."

"You're not flying anywhere tonight!"

Called two rhino guards from outside the tent…

"I hungry, lets go eat something…" said the second to the first as they walked way.

"I could go with some with ribs…"

"I like the Wong Tongs…"

"It's Wong Tong…"

"Ok…Wong Tongs…"

"Eh…."

"Stupid rhinos…" hissed the prisoner which happened to be a Goliath Heron as he turned to face the center of the tent, catching a glimpse of the croc who had returned to fiddling with his left shackle.

"Maybe I can help you; I've got sharper instruments…"

"Like what?" snapped Huizhong obsessed with his work.

But within two seconds the heron was covering ground within two steps with a heavy chain ball tied to his leg and busted wing in a sling.

"What's your name?" asked Huizhong curiously taking by the heron's pain to release him.

"Tao." piped the heron as he made quick work of the first clasp.

"And what are you doing here?" asked Huizhong rubbing his now bare left wrist.

"I was a mission for a friend when these morons caught me in their air space." said the bird while unclasping Huizhong's other shackle.

"Thank you…" huffed the croc in exhaustion, collapsing against the back off the tent in relief. "I'm sorry I snapped at you but I've been at that for days…"

"What's your story? I can't see any use these guys here would for a crocodile your size…Respectively speaking…" said the heron.

"I know too much to their plot and am held prisoner here…" sighed the reptile.

"What's their plot?"

"To free Showron and lay wake to the Valley of Peace…"

"Wait! Is this the army of Daiyu?"

"Yes but how did you know?"

"My friend Shore Pebble told me…He's in league right now with the Jade Palace…"

"You know Shore Pebble?!?"

"Sure he's my childhood best friend… He asked me to-

"Master Oogway's eldest grandson…I wonder if he's still the prized student he was when he was a youngster?"

"That's a complicated story right now…Anyway he-

"What's so complicated? He is or he isn't."

"He was but he had fall a without with Oogway 4 years ago and has been since training under Master Ox of Cloud Temple… Now please listen to me… Shore Pebble has a plan (whispers) to help fend off Daiyu's army with the help of Master Ox and his students and that's where I came in to deliver the message but…(Toa gestured to his wing) as you can see I'm out of a job…"

"What did that to you?"

"A firework…"

"You're lucky to be alive…"

"Well, their doctor is amazing for a bad guy…" said Toa being to pick the lock off his own foot.

"So where do we go from here if you can't fly?"

"Any good at running?" quipped the heron as he stepped free of his chain.

"And where are we would run to? This whole area is an abandoned landscape. Nobody in their right mind travels this ground." Huizhong pointed out.

"I know of somebody around here who might be able to help us… But he won't be please I betrayed his hiding spot to a commoner…" said Tao poking his head gently through the tent doors to see if anyone was coming. "No offense."

"None taken but I am of high status somewhat or at least I use be before I committed an act against trust that was laid to me and started this whole mess."

"What are you talking about?" asked Tao bewildered, pulling his head back in and glancing at the mopey croc.

"I'm the one who started all this... I'm-

"Daiyu wants to question you, Heron…" said a rhino guard randomly barging through the tent. "She wants know to why your- You're not wearing any shackles!"

"This is our time to break, Green Dude!" cried Tao as he circled around to where Huizhong was standing and head butted him onto his back. "Hold on!"

The ancient croc did so as the heron ran out of there like mad.

It took less the two seconds for the rhino to react with a distress call to alert the whole camp. "Prisoners escaping, everyone up!"

By the time this message had sounded Huizhong and Tao half way thorough the line way of the smaller tents to their escape mark.

"We should of never put the prisoner tent so close to the edge…" retorted the Rhino as he watched the captives escaped past the camp rim. "No matter…Let's see them get pasted the Wu Sisters!"

"Their gaining on us!" Cried Huizhong as Tao started to slow his pace dramatically…

"Got to keep on…." Murmured the tired bird…"Can't run any faster…"

"The Wu Sisters are coming! Please keep trying!"

"I've got broken wing…" continued the bird as he slowed a painful halt and collapsed, panting heavily.

"Adrenaline's out…" called Huizhong while picking himself up off the bird and help hoisting him into a steady position.

"My wing's more than ever busted now…It's been nice knowing you…?"

"Huizhong…"

"Wait, the Huizhong?"

"I'm a Huizhong…"

"The one who was tight with Master Oogway since the day he arrived in China?"

"I-

"Are coming with us!" hissed an intruding Wu Sister, poking a spear towards the croc as he turned to face her.

"You've got this far but that'll do…"

"Your no match for the swiftness of a Wu…"

Chorused the other two sisters as they held close positions as well.


	27. Old and New Faces

New and Old Faces.

"So you're the Huizhong who hung out with Master Oogway back in the day?" muttered Tao to the croc as they were being prodded back to camp.

"What's with 'the" stuff?" asked Huizhong.

"Come on…You're seriously a living history…You were one of the first who befriended Master Oogway when he came to China and an earned a relationship that landed you the title of Jade Palace Librarian for many years and I'm not just talking sixty years, you lasted like 900 years or something?"

"Yes, somewhere around that time frame but I had to leave at a point due to my own stupidity."

"What happened?"

"I let my curiosity get the better of me and got Daiyu on the start of all this craziness."

"How'd that happen?" Asked Tao not in the least judgemental over the fact that the crocodile admitted to knowing Daiyu from some other time. Others probably if held captive would have been more judgemental due to Daiyu's known history, but Tao wasn't the jumping to conclusions sort.

Huizhong gave a sullen sigh and began…

While unbeknownst to any of the 5 creatures on the ground there was a pair of ancient yellow eyes watching them from the sky…

….

The desert in which surrounded Tai Lung's Training Ground was a vast one, lifeless to anything except strong winds and craggy rocks and exceptional bugs…And yet two solitary souls seem to manage there as well…The old eyes that had witnessed Huizhong and Tao's capture belong to another Goliath Heron named Lang, who called this desert home. Lang was a master map maker who had retired from city life to work in peace on his craft in solitude and in his mind what better place to call home then a inahabitle desert? He was a strange old crotchety bird…

The other inhabitant of this desert was Hong, a lone kung fu master ostrage who lived in such a desolate place as a personal daily test of survival. In her own mind: if she could survive here, she could survive anywhere. Hong had lived in the desert for four years now since her graduation from The Da Lee Kung Fu Academy.

The relationship between the two beings of the desert was a simple one, they never asked anything of each other. Upon originally meeting they came to terms they had nothing in common and needed nothing from the other but occasional run ins did happen. Of late both were proturbed that a whole army of rough-necks had entered their homestead but neither could do anything about it without getting captured. And running off to tell civilization that Daiyu had returned with an army would make them a laughing stock, because no one knew the the leopard had escaped confinement. (The only reason Lang and Hong knew was because they had continually spied on the camp.)

Lang would need Hong's help now though….

…

The heron usually had to fly some way to the east to reach Hong's cave, but today he was cut short due to an unlikely obstacle…. Hong was about a mile from her home when he spotted her on the ground, passing by, surrounded by a group of 20 animals, he did not recognize from the camp. Being curious the bird swooped in and perched himself on a nearby crag over looking the whole scene, drawing the attention of some of the animals.

"Can I help you here?" announced the bird casually, drawing in the whole group now.

"Who are you?" asked a rhino in the crowd.

"I'm a inhabitant of this desert, so I ask again is there anything I can do for you?"

"Goliath Herons don't usually inhabit deserts, their native to South Asia…began another rhino.

"I'll take it from here Brock…" said a kinder voice from the crowd as a hippo stepped through the folds to meet with the heron. "Hello, hello, sorry for this intrusion upon your lovely desert, but we are looking for someone- where is my face…My name is Ofelia, otherwise known as Madam Tranquil to most…I am a Tai-chi teacher/therapist from the Reform Mountains Facility and this party behind me are some of my success students who wanted to make right with the world again, the others are guards from our Facility. We are looking for a escaped captive that might of fled to this desert. Have you seen her at all? She's a snow leopard named Daiyu. That's all we wanted to get out of your friend here…"

"Yes, I know where Daiyu is…" stated Lang, a sort of a scuff in his voice.

"You know where Daiyu is? Great! May I ask you to show us where she is?"

"So, we can bring her head home on a plate!" cried a harsh rhino standing next Tranquil.

"That's enough Vachir…" calmed the hippo.

"Sorry, but I don't like escapes…" mutter the rhino.

"Vachir."

Upon the rhino's dismay, the bird suddenly smiled….

"He'll do.."

"I'll do what?" growled Vachir.

"Help me recuse my grandson and an old friend of mine." shot Lang as he bounded into the air and flew off over head.

"We weren't going to-

"You are now, if you want to find Daiyu." called the heron "Hong, come on, let's show them what there up against…I'll need your assistants as well."

The ostrage just when along with the whole thing and followed Lang on foot while the crowd behind her reluctantly followed, they had nothing else to do, being stuck out in the middle of a desert.

…

"This is what were up against?" asked Madam Tranquil, thunderstruck, upon seeing Daiyu's camp from a safe distance away.

" Jeez,, Daiyu wasn't kidding about her mission to get the Dragon Flute." said a hippo soldier in the crowd.

"You know she wasn't kidding…Think about how obsessed she was about the whole thing back at the Facility." answered another hippo.

"Yeah, but I never imagined she could pull it off." said the first hippo again. "I mean she fights good, but not enough to persuade a whole army to kneel down to her."

"She must have something else to persuade to them…Something real…" gasped Madam Tranquil with a slight fear rising in her voice, apparently coming to a secret conclusion.

"She has my old friend, Huizhong , a long time keeper of the Dragon Flute Book, captive so I'd bet she's planning something nasty." chirped in Lang, preached on a high craggy rock.

"What do you know about this whole thing?" asked a rhino with female voice, curiously. She was the group's medic.

"Less than you do about this Daiyu character, I knew her vaguely as a child when I delivered maps to Master Oogway. I also know her from the rumours that spread around, which is a pity with what I saw so many years ago…She seemed like a happy kid." trailed off Lang.

The crowd just looked at one another unsure of what to do when until a gorilla tai-chi student spoke up. "What can we do to help you?"

"Your gonna go along with this?" asked a another rhino sceptically.

"We have no choice, were in the middle of a desert and who's not to say that's not Daiyu's camp over there? It matches the picture in her diary perfectly." said the gorilla, pulling a book out the hem of his trousers and showing everyone a identical drawing of the landscape before them.

"And how many bandits would really build a community out here? There's no food, no water and the winds are a pain to deal wi- began a pig student

"Enough, alright, we'll help but before we do just tell us who you really are bird?" announced Vachir. "Why are you really here at all?"

Lang eyed the rhino, narrowly somewhat perturbed at his arrogance. "My name is Long Lang and I was the imperial map maker for Master Oogway for a good many years. I assisted the Master with maps for battle strategies when the Valley was at war and later in life just continued to scout out the world to help build a bigger map of China. I formed family then and together we built a mapping business that runs smoothly in the Valley of Peace."

"Why are you here now then?" asked a sheep student.

"When you get old in life, you want to retire from your craft at a certain point…I'd didn't but I didn't want to continue city life. too much of a racket to continue my trade at that point. So I packed up my things and moved out to this desert. I still see my family occasionally but my life's out here now where I continue to map out the world. Call me strange for that but it's what I do.""

"And you?" asked the sheep student again inquiring Hong.

"You can learn about me later…" said the ostarage, speaking for the first time. "Right now we need to formulate a plan to recuse those poor folks…"

"What'd you have in mind?" asked Vachir.

…

A lone wolf blew a huge hallow horn on the edge of Daiyu's camp to the east to alert of some trespassers appoarching the vicinity. The said call attracted several curious on-lookers to the pinpointed location where they saw 4 rhinos, a gorilla, a cloaked figure, 4 hippos and a ostarage on the move.

"Get the Wu Sisters down here." called the wolf with the horn to a nearby croc bandit. " They'll see what these smucks are good for."

The croc did so as Huizhong, clamped in shackles from hands, feet to tail made his through the crowd. Daiyu had had it with dealing with Huizhong and had further need of his use, so she made a amusement out him by clapping him in irons and making him parade around the camp.

"More stupid bandits…" muttered the croc as he looked toward on the approaching beings.

"You'd be surprised how stupid some are." whispered a figure beside him, dressed in a black cloak and topped with a hat like Master Crane's. "I got in here easier then expected, told them I was in night security."

"All you cut throats are the same…" muttered Huizhong, disgusted.

"Well, I have only 10 minutes to save to my grandson with that load cause Night Security be coming back any moment now to find and inspect me."

Huizhong took a long hard look at the stranger, with squinting eyes … "Long…Lang?"

"Em-hmm…Now I need your help to find my grandson, Tao. He came in here with you…" muttered the old heron, skimming around.

"Yes, he's here but what are you doing here?" I haven't seen you in years…"

"I'll explain everything later, just show me to Tao." grumbled Lang, anxiously.

"This way…" piped the croc as he hurried off with the bird on his tail.

Tao himself was currently being inspected by Doctor Bright-Eyes, the medic bandit crocodile back from the flats Inn.

"Your lucky to fly again, if this ever heals right." said the doctor, unslinging Tao's broken wing and examining it gently, but this still made the heron wince.

"Is it damaged completely now?" asked the bird, nervously.

"Mmmm…" said the croc, gently poking the wing where it was originally damaged. "It's no different than it was before but I'm going to have to operate now, to be safe. Which is what I should of done originally…Why'd you pull that stunt anyway?"

"Do you really need a answer to that?" asked the heron, sarcastic.

"No, I don't." answered the croc as he re-slung Tao's wing and turned to leave the tent. "I'll tell Daiyu, you need more time here, she can question you some other time."

"He's not all that bad…" muttered Tao to himself as the crocodile's tail left the tent...

…

He's broken his wing?" asked Lang in a undertone as Hui led the bird through the massive camp.

"Yes, they shot him down with a firework as he was flying overhead." answered the crocodile quietly, he didn't want to draw any attention that he was helping someone, it would raise suspicions. He was considered nothing more than bullying bait to the rest of the camp's residents...

"What stupid shenanigan got him to go here in the first place? asked Lang perturbed.

"I can't release that information to you now, so just hold on…" said Hui, slowing up…

"What's wrong?"

"These chains are weighing me down…" panted Hui, breathlessly.

"Oh…Come here!" muttered Lang as he made quick work of releasing the crocodile from his shackles.

"You are Tao's grandfather after all…panted Hui, rubbing his wrists. "He pulled the same move on me."

"Yeah, well he-

"Hey, what do you think your doing? called a angry bull bandit, marching toward the heron and crocodile. "That loser's not to be released, Daiyu's orders."

"Well, in a true way of looking at things: he's not released, just un-cuffed. Which is better for him…" said Lang

"Why?" asked the bull, suspiciously

"Cause it gives him more stability!" cried the heron as he launched himself into to the air and clasped Hui, tightly by the shoulders, uprising him.

"Break away!" yelled the bull to surrounding campmates. "Get Daiyu and the Vulture Clan, Hui''s being lifted!"

10 seconds later a majority of the camp was in a frenzy due to Lang's move but it had granted other possibilities as well. With most of the bandits distracted by trying to stop Lang's flight, Hong and the others who had originally bought their way into camp when Lang was searching for Hui, were now combing the camp in two or three groups.

"That wasn't originally part of the plan…" said Madam Tranquil gazing up to see Lang fly over head with Hui.

"Get down, their coming!" yelled Hong, quietly, pulling the cloaked hippo out the way of a rushing army of bandits, tossing spears after the bird…

"He's going to lead them back to the others!" gasped Madam Tranquil, petrified.

"Can't they handle themselves?"

"Not a whole army! Tai-Chi is good for a small army, you'd have to be- Release the distress call, I've got a idea…"

In another part of the camp, a stranger draped in a tight ninja outfit was shuffling Tao out of the medic tent when a hippo guard spotted him.

"Found the bird, Ai!"

"Oh. good." called a rhino, hurrying toward the scene and seeing the ninja taking off with the injured heron.

"Hey ,stop, that's our captive! called the rhino, who was in reality, Tranquil's team medic.

But Tao not knowing this, for some reason persuaded the stranger on…All until the stranger was stopped and forced to look back at the rhino as a flutter of peach blossom petals flowed by…

"Are a you an ally?" asked the figure directly.

"That's what I'd like to ask you?" asked the rhino coming closer.

"I'm here on a mission to rescue my friend."

"On who's notion?"

"Someone's…"

Yeah, well this guy needs medical care and I'm one who can provide it."

"Under who's notion?"

"My own, I'm doctor Chon, Ai from the Reform Mountains."

"The stranger just looked at the rhino and signalled her on. "I'll lead you out of here… Follow me."

"Can we trust him?" ask the hippo guard following behind.

"We really don't have any other routes, do we? Plus he's my best friend." said Tao.

…..

While the disturbance of Lang's stunt had attracted many bandits after him, other fights had broken out as well among Daiyu's camp. As Tao had announced, his best friend was there along with a few others from the Valley of Peace. Shifu had had a vision after a brief visit from Lotus Flower, to tell of Meihui's passing. The vision was one of strange proportions…Lang, an old map maker, flying over head with Hui, a old keeper of the Dragon Flute Book, while many bandits chased them through a camp being over looked by a huge vicious statue that resembled a Foo Lion but in a way looked more like a Foo "wolf." Which then hit Shifu as Tai Lung's Training Ground and that someone there would need his help, because visions don't float out of thin air for nothing…Shifu then gathered, Crane, Mantis and Shore Pebble to take with him while Tigress, Viper, Bo and Monkey guarded the Palace.


	28. Smoking is the Bomb!

Smoking is the Bomb!

Lang's flight to safety with Huizhong had been aided by impeccable timing thanks to Master Crane. He had gotten in the way of the Vulture Clan's approach just as they were about a elbow's length behind the heron.

"Thank goodness for that stranger…" remarked Lang as he flew out of the vicinity of the campground.

"Don't forget about that mantis, ostrich, hippo and gorilla who threw themselves in the line of fire for us." stated Huizhong. "It was a interesting thing to see…Tai-chi and Kung Fu co-existing together in a fight like that…It reminded me almost of "Them".

"Yeah ,"They" were a force to be dealt with….One Whoosi Lock could scare a whole army into giving up…Pity Meihui never wanted to learn it."

"She hated the idea of turning someone to dust, let alone killing them."

"But there were days…"

"Yes, there was but only as a last resort."

"On other things, what were you doing with that despicable cat anyway?"

"I was caught by Daiyu some years ago and have been with her ever since."

"Why?"

"Well…"

…

Else where among the havoc of the battlefield, Daiyu had her paws full dealing with a certain red panda, who she had run into by coincidence, on her way to deal with the tai chi mess, after hearing it was being ordered around by a hippo…

"Your ability to persuade has granted you much." said Shifu while continually deflecting every movement Daiyu laid against him. The two had been in combat now for the last eight minutes and Shifu since then had kept vigilant eyes on Daiyu but her thundering blows were now starting to weary him a tiny bit.

"Persuasion and proof… actually." said Daiyu , playfully sinister. "How is your librarian, Mrs Bun?"

"She had to be let go because of you!"

"Well, that's a outcome that really holds Oogway and you responsible. If you had put in some guards in there , we might not of stole it. But no, you relied on your Master's decision. Such a pity.."

"How dear you speak of Oogway's judgement like that!" snarled Shifu.

"Easily.." placed Daiyu.

This insolence drove Shifu to intensify his blows against Daiyu , which quickly created a irritation on her part because his swiftness was making her miss attacks. a mere moment later Daiyu was lying on her back looking up at Shifu who was huffing.

"You play only for power and that is why you were defeated. You'd never stand a chance up against any of my students.

"That's precisely why I've built this army… I may not strive on my own but with others I shall prevail!"

"You could have been a better warrior had you chosen to meditate more in life. Your display today has shown me you haven't changed."

"Oh, I've changed…" said Daiyu , turning her head to the left and winking which signaled a nearby wolf bandit to erupt a tranquillizer dart from his blow gun. Daiyu had originally set out with a few bandits on hand to help her deal with the hippo and upon this bump in the road she had held them back to take on Shifu herself.

"Say goodbye to-

"You!" thundered a voice, as a charging rhino came crashing on to the scene and pushed Shifu out of the way as he incepted the dart's attack with a kneel dive.

"Vachir?" screamed Shifu stunned and shocked.

"Who else?" grunted the rhino, getting up and easily pulling the dart out of his neck. "Glad of thick skin…"

"What are you doing here?"

"Tranquil's been looking for Daiyu ever since she escaped the Reform Mountains. I work there now as security after dealing with the mess of Tai Lung and am right now on search and rescue for her Madam. I've already found five captives but for now let's do some arresting…" said Vachir, glaring down happily at Daiyu.

"May I make one more request before I am taken in?"

"What?" growled Vachir.

"For a smoking cloud… "

"There's no such thing as a-

"She means-

But before either Vachir or Shifu knew it they were up to their eye balls in thick fumes which only seemed to incase them.

"They'll be out in seconds." said a wolf ninja as Daiyu emerged quickly from the cloud.

"Good, bind them once the smoke clears, I want-

BASSSSSHHHHHH!

Within seconds Daiyu and her crew were suddenly engulfed in cloud cover too…

"Who had the gal to do that?" coughed Daiyu heavily.

"Don't know…" answered the same wolf as before "But we'll find out-"

There was now a second round of incoming smoke bombs pelting through the air.

"Find the oppressors and then clap the rhino and little rat irons!" hissed Daiyu through the smoke, while coughing.

"Jing, Bobo, do as she says.." said the wolf ninja.

Upon being instructed, Jing the wolf who had assisted Daiyu escape the Reform Mountains and a pachyderm ninja waded further into the fumes.

Three minutes later the elephant called back… "There's no one here!"

"What!" hissed Daiyu.

"He's right, their gone, but the smell is fresh." called Jing as he continued to sniff out the area. "I think tigers were the ones who did this …"

"Find them once the smoke clears and bring them to me." ordered Daiyu "As for the rest of you: send word out that were moving on, were ready to take on the Valley…"

"What about the captives who got away like Huizhong and soldiers who might be injured from this whole thing?" asked a nearby croc bandit who had eavesdropped.

"Huizhong has no meaning to me anymore, He was just for entertainment… But see who else is laying around and order them to my tent, especially a Tai Chi Hippo leader, if you find her. As for the injured, seek out DR BC and see if there are any herbalists or something that could help assist from different clans."

"Who's going to do what, miss ?" asked the croc.

"You can go gather up some followers and take care of the medical issues while the ninjas seek out captives."

The surrounding foes nodded in agreement and than broke ways.


	29. Tigers

Tigers…

"Master…"

"Dad, he's stirring…"

"That's good, he'll be up soon. "

"It's hard to believe this guy shares his name with the panda spices, I mean look, he's so small…"

" I expect you were thinking of the bear type, right?"

"Yeah."

"Well, many creatures share a name that isn't part of their biological build up, like us for example…We can sometimes be called Snow Tigers and are we part snow?"

"No, I just assumed he'd be the bear type…"

"Just, continue to keep eyes on him while I keep a look out. Those thugs are bound to search this place eventually."

"What do we do then?"

"Run, it's our only option."

"Hmmm."

"Look, this whole mess is my doing… I'll find a way to fix things. You just concern with the red panda and tell me if he wakes."

"We wouldn't be in this mess if you hadn't thought I needed a better home…"

"We've been through this many times before, Liwei, ok? Enough."

"Hmmm."

"...Master…"

"He keeps referring to a master?"

" He's probably a apprentice of some kind… Might even be from the Palace were sending you to?"

"You think he knows the Tortoise we have to see?"

"I'm sure he does. Almost everyone in China knows the great master."

"Great master…"

…

"She's quite a warrior isn't she?" asked Shifu, one night, standing next to Oogway, a top his Peach Tree Hill, watching Peachtree and Tigress spar below near the bunk house within the Jade Palace.

"Which one?" ask the tortoise apparent to be lost in thought.

"Your granddaughter?"

"MMMMM….Yes, she is something to behold…" said Oogway, moving away from the scene.

"Then why aren't you more intrigued tonight?" asked Shifu, confused. "Your usually vigilant with these battles."

"Yes, but even watching a peach grow can be tedious after awhile."

"Your referring that your granddaughter is getting boring to you?"

"No, not at all but her speed is.."

"Explain?"

"When I started teaching Peachtree, I taught her in Tortoise Style."

"Go on…"

"But of late she's taken on faster movements that are not correspondent for Tortoise Style."

"Why did she begin to make a change?"

"After she defeated Daiyu with it, she sought out to improve the speed of the style because while fighting the cat she came to the conclusion that her style was not quick enough in time."

"Something tells me theres more to this than just her battle style. You seem to be worried about something more…"

"There is something deeper, yes…"

"What?"

"Who's going to look after her when I leave this world and do not come back to resume her training?"

"Meiihui would, she's-

"Meihui is getting on in life too… I need someone younger, someone like you…"

"Like me? I've never trained a tortoise before…"

"But you have worked with her and are accustom to Tortoise Style."

"I just don't think I'd make the best choice…She's not very social, no offence, Master, greatly!"

"That's why I need you to help her. Over the years she has taken the silent road to her main goal and has not made many friends along the way."

"Everyone is different has a different motive."

"Not something like this for her age…She's still twenty four and not fully experienced with the world she thinks she lives in."

"I thought she was a good scholar though…She wants to follow in your footsteps."

"Yes, but to do that she must firstly be her full self, not me."

"Whatever happens, it's not going to happen very easily.." sighed Shifu,

"Things worth it are never easy, Shifu."

….

"Worth…it.- Huh?

Shifu woke with a sudden start to find himself staring around a tent that was occupied by two snow tigers who appeared to have a roughed up stature One was a youth about seven years old and the other an adult.

"Where am I?"

"In a crazy cat's diabolical camp." answered the cub.

"I mean where am I now? Who are you, do you work for Daiyu?" asked Shifu on the defensive.

"No." snickered the cub. "But we'd be very interested to know who you are. Vachir persuaded us when a group of other rhinos started to chase him."

"Vachir? Where is he now?" asked Shifu suddenly.

"Your rhino is out side arguing with some ninja tortoise that claims he wants to get us out of here." answered the older tiger as he kept vigilant eyes on the outside surroundings of the tent.

"Shore Pebble…" muttered Shifu, getting up and traipsing forward.

"He could be dangerous…" warned the adult tiger as Shifu continued past him.

"I've got it covered."

"…I don't care for who you claim to be because we both know your not-

"Shore Pebble?" asked Shifu, walking out before them.

"I found a Goliath Heron, Shifu, but it was Tao not Lang…I left him with somebody who claims she's a doctor on the outside of the camp to the west. "

"And what on Earth would your childhood best friend be doing here?" asked Shifu, skeptical.

"I may of had something to do with that…" said Shore Pebble in a small voice, looking downward.

"Like what?" asked Shifu with the beginning of a dark voice.

"Don't mean to interrupt things but a whole array of people are charging this way…Perhaps we should move out towards where your tortoise friend had said this bird fellow was." said the older tiger on watch duty,

"Our blow darts won't fight off all those warriors." said another snow tiger, glimpsing out of a tent across from the watch tiger's.

"Well, at least dealing with that bug solider should be easy." said Liwei, glimpsing at the incoming army. The cub had just recently appeared at the front of the tent after a long wait of boredom in the background.

"What bug solider?" asked Shifu glimpsing at the thundering crowd. That's when he caught a fleck of green riding atop a ostrich's head.

"Mantis?" asked Shifu bewildered as he was suddenly and unexpectedly lifted from the ground in a blur of feathers...

"And your Shifu." answered Crane jokingly.


End file.
